Seeing players develop over the years has been ‘amazing,’ says coach
YCMHS boys team, which includes core group of Grade 12s, triumphant in Springhill tournament
A tournament victory in Springhill is one of this season’s highlights for Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School’s varsity boys basketball team, which won the Springhill event on the second weekend of the new year.
The Vikings defeated Oxford, North Nova and Sommet in winning the tournament. It was their second tournament title of the season. The first was at Annapolis West.
The Yarmouth team was scheduled to play a league game Monday, Jan. 20, against Park View (after this print edition of the Vanguard was completed) and the Vikings have another league game scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Central Kings. Future action for the Yarmouth team includes league games at Horton Feb. 5, at home against Central Kings Feb. 8 (at 1 p.m.) and at Avon View Feb. 13.
In its first three Division 1 league games of the season, the Vikings defeated Avon View and lost to Horton and Park View.
“They’re really meshing well as a team and playing as a team,” said Vikings head coach Dana Cunningham, a couple of days after the Springhill tournament.
The roster consists of six Grade 12 students, six in Grade 11 and one in Grade 10.
“One thing about the core group of Grade 12s is they’ve been playing together from junior high,” Cunningham said. “Being involved in basketball for as long as I have, I saw them play at the junior high level and now
I’m seeing them at the senior high level and seeing how much they’ve improved. Not just with their athleticism and basketball skills but also as people.”
Seeing how these players have developed since their junior high years has been “amazing,” she said.
Cunningham has been coaching Viking boys basketball for a decade. Her husband, Rob, is assistant coach this year. Chuck Smith, who had been working with Cunningham in coaching the Viking boys – and who previously had spent many years as head coach of the YCMHS boys – stepped away from the high school team last year, although he remains involved in the sport.
“He’s helping out with minor basketball, coaching the little ones,” Cunningham said.
Here’s a look at results from the YCMHS team’s games in the Springhill tournament:
Yarmouth 93, Oxford 53: Randal Fells had 15 points for Yarmouth and teammates Bryer Cunningham and Noah Wilcox each had 13. Josh Muise was player of the game (POG) for YCMHS.
Yarmouth 97, North Nova 45: Noah Wilcox (22 pts. and POG), Randal Fells (18 pts.)
Yarmouth 71, Sommet 41: Giacomo Rossi (17 pts.)., Noah Wilcox (16 pts.). POG: Zawad Rahman.