The Neelin Spartans varsity boys’ basketball team suffered their most devastating loss of the season on Friday in Winnipeg.
Neelin was tied with the host St. James Jimmies with 15 seconds left in their provincial high school AAA semifinal but couldn’t get a potential game-winning shot to fall. They opened overtime on a run, but ultimately fell 87-81 and will face the Hapnot Kings for bronze today.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” said Neelin head coach Don Thomson. “The kids worked really hard. We lost today, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. It was just a matter that the old basketball gods and the ball didn’t fall in the hoop for us today. We got some good looks, but they just didn’t go in for us.”
Theo Farough led the Spartans with 35 points and 17 rebounds, while Quinton Hunter added 16 points while Dylan Minshull put up 12.
Although his team was hurting yesterday, Thomson expects the players to pick themselves up and play hard for a bronze medal today.
“The one thing this group does is getting off the mat after getting knocked down,” he said. “I really expect them to be resilient and come back and play hard.”
Meanwhile, the Virden Golden Bears fell 59-49 to the Linden Christian Wings in their AAA girls’ semifinal. Virden will play the St. Norbert Celtics for a bronze medal today.
In other provincial basketball action, it was:
A GIRLS
At Treherne, the host Tigers and Hamiota Huskies will go head-to-head for this year’s provincial crown. The Tigers won their semifinal over the Glenboro Panthers 52-44, while the Huskies defeated the Grandview Spartans 70-51 in the other. Glenboro and Grandview will play for bronze today.
Gladstone’s William Morton Warriors reached the consolation final with a 68-48 win over the St. Laurent Hawks on Friday.
A BOYS
At Glenboro, the host Panthers advanced to the championship game with a 73-56 victory over the Rosenort Hawks. They’ll meet the Ross L. Gray Raiders for the title today. Meanwhile, the Hamiota Huskies’ tournament ended with a 53-48 loss to the St. Laurent Hawks in their consolation semifinal.
AA GIRLS
At The Pas, the Boissevain Broncos beat the Carman Cougars 74-36 to advance to today’s championship game versus the Steinbach Christian Flames. Meanwhile, the Souris Sabres advanced to the consolation final with a 54-26 win over Russell’s Major Pratt Trojans in the semifinals. They’ll meet the Elton Sabres, who beat Morris 63-46 in their semifinal.
AA BOYS
At The Pas, the Ste. Anne Lynx will face the Carman Cougars for gold today, after beating the Steinbach Christian Flames 64-40 in Friday’s semifinal. Carman slipped past the Killarney Raiders 72-70 in the other semifinal. Killarney will battle Steinbach for bronze.
On the consolation side, the Minnedosa Chancellors defeated the Teulon Saints 81-52 to reach today’s final. The Chancellors beat Roblin’s Goose Lake Raiders 80-35 in their consolation quarter-final earlier in the day.
» Brandon Sun
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition March 16, 2013
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