Matthew Halton School hosts B Girls League Crossover basketball games

Kainai's TMS Eagles were undefeated at the recent MHHS B Girls Crossover Games
C. Davis photos and video

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Matthew Halton School hosted B Girls League Crossover basketball games on Friday and Saturday, January 25/26.  7 teams participated in a total of 11 games.  These were regular season games played back to back to enable teams that are spread over a wide geographic region the chance to face each other over the course of one weekend.

Participating B Girls teams:

MHHS Hawks (Pincher Creek)
LHS Sabres (Lundbreck)
SMHS Dragons (Pincher Creek)
WCCHS Cobras (Claresholm)
TMS Eagles (Kainai)
JTF Raiders (Nanton)
FPW Flyers (Fort Macleod)

Games at a glance:

1. LHS 38 vs FPW 19
2. TMS 85 vs SMHS 7
3. FPW 28 vs MHHS 27
4. WCHHS 38 vs LHS 31
5. TMS 61 vs MHHS 28
6. SMHS 18 vs JTF 14
7. TMS 66 vs LHS 24
8. WCCHS 23 vs JTF 15
9. FPW 40 vs SMHS 12
10. WCCHS 29 vs MHHS 25
11. LHS 42 vs JTF 16

Undefeated: WCCHS B Girls Cobras

The Kainai Eagles and the WCCHS Cobras were both undefeated but didn't face each other over the course of the weekend.  Livingstone's Sabres won two of their three games, as did the F.P. Walshe Flyers.  St. Michael's Dragons won one game and lost two.  Host team the Halton Hawks lost all three of their games, but two of those losses were by very slim margins.


Game 1: Livingstone Sabres vs F.P. Walshe Flyers

Livingstone B Girls Sabres

The Sabres had a strong showing in the opening game of the weekend, defeating the Flyers by a score of 38-19. The Sabres had a strong first half, but the Flyers bounced back in the third quarter, and were again quite strong in the final quarter. Top scorers for the Sabres were Tessa Renner with 14 points, Katie McClung with 12 points, and Kari Sandeman with 8 points. Top scorers for the Raiders was Tionna with 12 points. There were very few fouls from either team in this game.

Game 2: Kainai Eagles vs St. Michael's Dragons.
The Eagles began their romp across the scoreboard with this large-margin win over the Dragons.

Game 3: F.P. Walshe Flyers vs Halton Hawks

Flyers vs Hawks

This was a great low-scoring game between to very well matched teams. The Flyers were ahead 14-7 at the half, but the Hawks kept working hard, particularly dominating the final quarter. They managed to bring it to within in one point with seven seconds left in the game. At the buzzer it was Flyers 28, Hawks 27. A disappointment for the Hawks, for sure, but in the latter half of the game they proved they have what it takes.

Game 4: WCCHS Cobras vs Livingstone Sabres

Cobras vs Sabres

You couldn't ask for two teams more balanced in abilities than these. The score was tied over and over again throughout the game. At the half the Sabres were marginally ahead 18-14. The Cobras made some great long shots, and were doing the right things, taking it to the basket at every opportunity in the third. Near the end of the third and into the final quarter the Sabres' defence started to show some cracks, and the Cobras made themselves a wedge to edge the score up in their favor, ultimately winning it 38-31. A good game from two good teams.

Game 5: Kainai Eagles vs Halton Hawks

Eagles vs Hawks

Down to only 7 players, the Kainai Eagles still put on a clinic in this game against the Hawks. They were fast in getting to the net, and they kept on working the rebounds until the ball went through the net. Eagles #9 Carlita Many Chief was amazing out there, perhaps the strongest athlete of the weekend. Hawks' Miranda Van Loon was also quite dynamic, scoring 10 points, which were often the result of thrilling long-drive breakaways. Hawks #11 Cassidy made a particularly sweet basket in the third. Hawks #15 Abby was strong offensively, and her blocking was particularly notable. Not much gets past that girl.

Eagles vs Hawks

The Hawks were hoping to wear Kainai down. With only two subs, it seemed like the logical thing to do, but even in the final quarter the Eagles still had lots of hustle left. They won this game easily by a score of 61-28.

To their credit, the Hawks kept their spirits up throughout, proving themselves to be true sportswomen.

Top scorers for Kainai were Carlita Many Chief with 30 points, Angela Bird with 12 points, and Smokee Good Striker with 8 points.

Game 6: St. Michael's Dragons vs J.T. Foster Raiders

St. Michael's Jr. B Girls Dragons

This game was a low-scoring high-energy thriller between two evenly matched teams. The Raiders took the lead late in the first quarter, with the first basket of the game coming with only 2:34 left in the quarter. The scored another quick one, and were up 4-0 at the buzzer. The two teams chased each other back and forth across the floor for much of the second, with the Dragons closing the gap and emerging ahead 8-6 at the half.

Dragons vs Raiders

 Both of these teams definitely seem to be getting their fundamentals together. The Dragons had the edge in the third quarter in terms of scoring, and were ahead 16-10 going into the final quarter. The Raiders staged a comeback in the fourth, behind by only two points before the Dragons scored again to win it 18-14.

Game 7: Kainai Eagles vs Livingstone Sabres

Eagles vs Sabres

Grit and fortitude. That was the bottom line on this game. The Sabres had only one sub and the Eagles had only two, so everyone had to put in a maximum effort for 4 quarters of full-on basketball. The Eagles were, once again, unvanquishable, running the score up to 22-8 in their favor by the end of the first quarter. Kainai's Carlita Many Chief again figured prominently, particularly in the first quarter. The Sabres couldn't stop Kainai in the following quarters, but they did manage to slow them down a little bit. Kainai does it all well. They block well. They steal the ball well. They run well. They pass well. They shoot well. They get their rebounds. In fact, successful rebounds are a major part of their success.

The Eagles won this one easily, by a score of 66-24.

Eagles vs Sabres

Top scorers for the Sabres were Seriah with 12 points and Keri with 10 points. Top scorers for the Eagles were Carlita Many Chief with 24 points, Smokee Good Stiker with 12 points, Selena Young Pine with 10 points, and Shay Mountain Horse with 8 points. Everybody on the Kainai team got onto the scoreboard.

Game 8: WCCHS Cobras vs J.T. Foster Raiders

J.T. Foster B Girls Raiders

From the little I saw of it, this one seemed to be another low-scoring well-matched game. The Cobras won it 23-25.

Raiders vs Cobras

Game 9: F.P. Walshe Flyers vs St. Michael's Dragons

Flyers vs Dragons

The Dragons scored first in this game, but the Flyers scored right away in response, and just kept on scoring. The first quarter ended with the Flyers ahead 12-4. By the half it was 22-6. The Dragons were unable to rally against what appeared to be a much more experienced team, and the Flyers ultimately won it easily by a score of 38-12.

F.P. Walshe Jr. B Girls Flyers
C. Davis photos and video

Game 10: WCCHS Cobras vs Halton Hawks

Cobras vs Hawks

This one was a bit of a heartbreaker for the Hawks. The two teams battled to a draw for most of the game, with the Cobras establishing a slight lead in the first quarter. With only 3:03 left in the second quarter the score was tied 9-9. Then the Cobras went on a scoring spree, and at the half it was 15-9 in their favor. That spree could be said to have won them the game.

Cobras vs Hawks

The Hawks worked hard to make it back in the second half, and with only 40 seconds left in the game they were only 2 points behind. However, the Cobras scored once more right at the final buzzer to win it 29-25.

A thriller. It will be fun to see these two compete against each other again.

Game 11: Livingstone Sabres vs J.T. Foster Raiders

Sabres vs Raiders

Despite a small bench of only 6 players, the Sabres managed to maintain an edge on the Raiders throughout, winning each of the quarters by small but convincing margins. The Sabres ultimately won it by a score of 42-16.

Top scorers for the Sabres were Keri with 18 points and Tessa with 14 points.