Three local schools win cage crowns

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

The Greater Montreal Athletic Association (GMAA) presented 12 girls’ and boys’ high school championship basketball matches last week, and the news was good from a local standpoint.

Unlike last year, when no area schools managed to qualify for finals, six level-one teams did so this time round. The John Rennie bantam girls, Riverdale midget girls and Lindsay Place juvenile boys, earned gold, while the Macdonald juvenile girls, West Island College (WIC) midget girls and Riverdale bantam boys captured silver. As well, by securing titles, Riverdale and Lindsay Place also qualified for next month’s provincial high-school tournament, scheduled to take place April 13-15 in the Saguenay Lac-St. Jean region.

John Rennie captain earns

‘golden nugget’

It had been 10 years since a John Rennie cage team of any gender won gold at a GMAA final, all of which made last Wednesday’s bantam girls’ 40-20 victory over Sacred Heart School of Montreal at Lower Canada College (LCC) that much sweeter. John Rennie, a powerhouse this year, having never lost to an opponent by less than 20 points while cruising to a perfect 10-0 regular season record, was led by the inspirational play of team captain Alison Walford, who was named Most Valuable player for the game.

“(Walford’s) dog Nugget died just before the game,” said John Rennie head coach Huntley Addie. “It was a golden retriever, and she was devastated. I told her if our team could win the game, her gold medal would be her ‘golden nugget.’ She responded, and was outstanding on the court.”

Alexandra Kiss-Rusk led John Rennie in scoring with eight points, while Walford and Ellen Dunbar each scored six.

Riverdale coach uses food for inspiration

Heading into last Wednesday’s all-West Island midget girls’ final between Riverdale and WIC at LCC, Riverdale head coach Ian Spencer said he was searching for a motivational tool to inspire his talented squad. Both teams entered the contest with impressive 9-1 records, with Riverdale’s only loss during the regular season actually coming against WIC. Spencer decided the key to his players’ hearts lay in their stomachs. He promised them each a Chinese dinner on him if they emerged victorious. The strategy worked, as Keisha Lespoir led the way with 26 points while Sarah Boucher added 10 to lead Riverdale to a 55-43 victory. “I wanted the girls to stay loose, and the Chinese-food idea seemed to work,” Spencer said. “The game was closer than the score indicated, though. WIC has a great defence, but so do we, and we were able to score enough points in the fourth quarter to get the win.”

Lindsay Place cruises

Dan Lucate was named MVP, leading Lindsay Place Eagles to a 48-39 victory over LaurenHill Academy last Thursday at Selwyn House School gym, the Eagles’ second juvenile boys’ championship in three years. The Eagles, who finished with a 12-0 regular season record, played great defence while leading 25-10 at the half and by 17 after three quarters before LaurenHill mounted a comeback in the fourth period, narrowing the gap to as little as six points. But head coach Jim Pierson’s Eagles hung on for the victory.

Macdonald, Riverdale earn silver

In juvenile girls, Stephanie Totten scored 19 points but it wasn’t enough as Macdonald lost 84-31 to a powerful LCC side while Julian Taylor registered 20 points for a valiant Riverdale bantam boys’ squad that could not hold on to a lead and went on to lose 60-58 to LaurenHill Academy.