Warriors drub Mavericks

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

One of the most admirable aspects of the Pointe Claire-based West Island Lakers Basketball Association (WILBA) is the huge amount of respect and care it exhibits towards its house-league players.

No better example can be offered than this weekend, when WILBA presents its seventh annual Sian Bradwell-West Island Lakers all-star festival at John Rennie High School in Pointe Claire. After a slate of regularly scheduled house-league games on Saturday, eight boys’ and girls’ all-star games from novice to juvenile will unfold on Sunday. Players will be selected not necessarily on how well they have performed on the court this season, but more on attitude, sportsmanship and dedication. Each age category will feature a West vs. East game, with players donning special uniforms for this one occasion.

The weekend will serve as a fundraiser as well. All money to be raised through the canteen, product sales, prize raffles and donations during Saturday’s regular house-league games and Sunday’s all-star matches will go towards the Sian Bradwell Fund, a volunteer-based organization that raises money for the benefit of children with cancer. A celebrity match will also take place on Sunday afternoon.

“We’ve moved up the celebrity matchup to 2 p.m., this year,” said former WILBA president Mike Gaudin who has stayed on to serve as chairman of the Sian Bradwell Committee. “It’s grown over the years to become the highlight of the weekend. It will involve members of the media playing against the Montreal Alouettes, whose roster will include Anthony Calvillo, Paul Lambert, Scott Flory, Luke Fritz, Bryan Chiu, Dave Mudge, Keith Stokes and Anwar Stewart. Otis Grant, the well-known former boxer, will also play in the game. An auction will also be held before the celebrity game with the highest bidder getting to actually play in the game with the Als.”

All eyes might be focused on this weekend’s activities, but it was business as usual Saturday at John Rennie High School. Seven bantam boys’ games unfolded, including a noon meeting between the Warriors and Mavericks. When all was said and done, the Warriors emerged with a 55-42 victory, holding on to its share of first place with the Bulls in the process. Kevin Friesen led the Warriors with 19 points while Evan Tarakjian added 14 and Caleb Trimm had 13. Tremayne Desmarteaux paced the Mavs with 10 points while Sam Piazza had seven.

“I wish I could say I was happy with the way the kids played today,” said Warriors assistant coach Sharkie Tarakjian, who was serving as head coach for the absent Randy Trimm. “I was however, disappointed. We just weren’t sharp out there.”

The Warriors actually trailed by 10 early in the game but came back to lead 24-21 at the half against a Mavericks team that played shorthanded throughout and experienced foul trouble to boot.

“Four players couldn’t make it to the game for personal reasons,” said Mavs head coach Mark Williams. “Still, I was proud of the way our kids played. The effort was there.”

Note: For more information on this weekend’s WILBA-Sian Bradwell all-star festival, go to www.wilba.net.">www.wilba.net.">www.wilba.net.