Denis Morris playing Grimsby in B final
Will it be the Reds who wind up making their opponents on the B side of the bracket green with envy?
Or will be it the Eagles landing in the winner’s circle after the consolation championship is decided at the 18th annual Standard Girls Basketball Tournament is decided.
The answer, and by how much, should be known shortly before 7:30 p.m. today.
That’s when the A final, the second half of a championship doubleheader, is scheduled to tip off at Governor Simcoe Secondary School in St. Catharines.
Lexxus Bell scored 11 points, Emily White 10 and Victoria Kaufman eight as the Denis Morris Reds defeated the Holy Cross Raiders 43-18 to punch their ticket to the B final.
In comparison, the Grimsby Eagles’ flight to the final night of competition at the four-day, 16-team tournament was not without some turbulence. After taking a 26-14 lead into halftime, the Eagles held on to edge the E.L. Crossley Cyclone 43-37 in Thursday’s semifinal round, also at Simcoe.
Bell said better passing and spreading out the offence to put three-point shooters in a better position to score contributed to the Reds’ second win as many weeks against their crosstown rivals.
“We just saw what we needed improvement on and worked on that,” said the Grade 10 student who is playing in her second Standard Tournament.
A blended lineup of players from the junior and senior teams represented Denis Morris at this week’s Standard Tournament as it will at next week’s Tribune Tournament in Welland.
Coach Stefanie DeMizio said that decision should help both programs moving forward, especially the younger players.
“We’re playing against more experienced girls, so we’re learning what we need to do to improve as a team,” she said. “And having practice working as a team.
“Hopefully, in the future, in a year or two or three, because we will have them for three years, we will be at the top of our game when these girls are in Grade 12.
“Every game is a learning process and building, that’s what we’re all about.”
Denis Morris’s goal heading into the tournament was to get better.
“To win the consolation final at this tournament would be a great accomplishment for this team.”
DeMizio admitted bagging rights were on the line when the Reds took the court against the Raiders.
“It’s always nice to beat a fellow Catholic school to show we’re superior to some of our family of schools.”
Grimsby rebounded from a 56-47 loss to the defending champion Jean Vanier Lynx in Tuesday’s qualifying round by defeating the Thorold Golden Eagles 65-45 in quarter-final action on Day 2 of the tournament.
Point guard Paige Epp, with a gamehigh 20 points; and Ilijana Vukovic, eight; once again provided the 1-2 punch the Eagles used to knock an opponent out of contention for the consolation championship.
“We’ve got a great point guard,” Smith said in praising the play of Epp.
“She’s the motivation for the girls, they all have trust in her.”
The coach likewise was impressed with how Vukovic, a Grade 10 student, is playing against girls used to competing at the senior level.
“She is fantastic, she has really stepped up, especially in this tournament,” Smith said. “Her and Paige are playing right off of each other.
“As long as our girls are communicating, playing together and getting into position for those rebounds, there’s not much that can stop us.”
The Cyclone, who were hoping to return to the B final for the first time since they won the consolation championship two years ago, outscored the Eagles 23-17 in the second half.
“Our girls were getting really frustrated with themselves,” Smith said. “Once they get inside their heads, it’s a little bit of game over, so we got them back playing their game.”
Sydney Grummett, eight points; Emily Bonisteel, Hannah Nicholls, Mackenzie Sider, seven apiece; and Tess Puchalski, six; scored for Crossley.
Tonight’s B final at Simcoe gets underway at 6 p.m.