Junior Girls Basketball action heats up the Pincher Creek courts

2014/15 Jr. A&B Dragons and Jr. A Hawks

C. Davis and T. Lucas photos and videos

• Junior A Dragons vs Warriors
• Junior B Dragons vs Piikani
• Junior A Hawks vs Cobras
• Junior B Hawks vs Cobras

C. Davis with T. Lucas

Basketball season is in full swing now, and on Thursday evening December 11 there were four South Western Junior High Athletic Association (SWJHAA) Girls games played in Pincher Creek at Matthew Halton and St. Michael's schools.  All four Pincher Creek teams acquitted themselves well, and the level of competition in general was balanced, skilled, and entertaining.

2014/15 Junior A (in white) and B (in black) Dragons

Junior A Dragons vs Kainai Warriors

Junior A Dragons vs Kainai Warriors

St. Michael's Junior A Dragons hosted Kainai's Warriors at the Dale Wentz Memorial Gymnasium.  Kainai has a big bench this season, with 14 athletes compared to 9 on the Dragons bench.

Both teams appeared to be quite evenly matched in the first quarter, with Sidney Bruder scoring the first two baskets to establish a Dragons lead that they maintained and built on throughout the game.  At the end of the first it was 7-6 Dragons.  Kainai had a disappointing second quarter, scoring only 2 points, compared to 8 for the Dragons, who actually seemed to be flagging a bit at the beginning of the quarter, with 5 of those points coming from Olivia Citrigno.  15-8 Dragons at the half.  Kainai had a better third quarter, scoring 4 points to 5 more from Citrigno for the Dragons.  Citrigno scorched the court all evening and was ultimately the top scorer of the game with 12 points total. The final quarter was again close, with Natalie Krizan leading the scoring for the Dragons.  The Dragons again outscored Kainai 8 point to 6 to win the game 28-18.  Play throughout was quite a bit more competitive than that score might otherwise indicate, and the Warriors seem poised to be a force to be reckoned with this season, particularly once they've gelled as a team.  The Dragons, who seemed tentative at first, were firing on all cylinders as the game progressed.

Junior B Dragons vs Piikani

The Junior B Dragons hosted Piikani for the first game of Thursday evening.  Both teams have small benches, with 8 Dragons and 9 Piikani suited up to play.  Evenly matched, the two teams played to a virtual draw at first, with the Dragons ahead by one basket, 6-4 at the half.  Piikani had a very strong third quarter, scoring 10 unanswered points, including three baskets from dynamo Tailyn Potts, to be ahead 14-6 going into the final quarter.  The Dragons rallied, outscoring Piikani 6-4, but of course that wasn't enough to overcome that third quarter deficit, and the game went to Piikani 18-12.  Mya Citrigno and Tailyn Potts were the top scorers in the game, with 10 points each. 

Junior A Hawks vs WCCHS Cobras

Junior A Hawks

Matthew Halton's Junior A Hawks hosted Claresholm's WCCHS Cobras for what turned out to be the most rambunctious game of the evening, hard played and running to about 2 hours, resulting in some injuries on both sides along the way.  Each team had ten players, and all players worked hard throughout. The first quarter was even, but the Cobras flagged in the second and it cost them dearly.  It was 21-10 at the half for the Hawks.  The Hawks were a bit flatfooted going into the third quarter and the Cobras regained some ground, but the Hawks found their groove again to increase their lead in the final minutes, ahead 34-20 going into the final quarter.  Once again the Cobras surged, playing flat out and steadily gaining ground in an impressive display of determination, outscoring the Hawks in the quarter, but the Hawks had a big enough lead to hold on for a 38-32 win. 

Junior B Hawks vs WCCHS Cobras

The Junior B Hawks hosted their WCCHS Cobras counterparts for a very close contest preceding the A Hawks vs Cobras game detailed above.  The Cobras started poorly and ended strong, coming from well behind for a 35-28 win over the Hawks.   This was the first game of the season for both teams, and it was a clean one.  Both the Hawks and the Cobras demonstrated good sportsmanship throughout.

The Hawks had a strong first quarter, ahead 8-2, a momentum they carried into the second quarter.  At the half it was Hawks 16 and Cobras 8. The Cobras came out running at the beginning of the third quarter, overtaking the Hawks, and ahead 25-20 going into the final quarter.  Oddly, the first foul shot of the game didn't happen until midway through the third.  The Hawks gained some ground early in the final quarter, but the Cobras maintained their lead until the end, winning it 35-28.

Cobras coach David Woodruff was very impressed with his team's performance.  "They were awesome," he said.

There are several SWJHAA basketball games scheduled for Pincher Creek area gyms next Tuesday, December 16 before the Christmas hiatus.  Click here for the SWJHAA schedule.