Plainsmen girls succumb to Shaw’s 41-point night
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
WINNIPEG — Experience was everything on Thursday.
The Daniel McIntyre Maroons started the AAAA varsity girls’ basketball provincial game like they’d been there before, while the same couldn’t be said for the Crocus Plainsmen.
Two bad stretches spelled the end of the season for the Plainsmen in a 65-49 play-in round loss at Vincent Massey Collegiate.
Crocus Plainsmen Genesis Lopez Mejia drives against the Daniel Mac Maroons during the first round of AAAA varsity girls basketball provincials in Winnipeg on Thursday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“Our collective basketball games in our … career is certainly lower than theirs,” Hartman said of the Winnipeg school, adding his team showed grit to stay in it after a slow start.
“All the girls, the time they put in since they entered the program at Crocus to where they are now, leaving as basketball players is certainly something I’m proud of them for.”
The Plainsmen simply didn’t settle in as quickly as the Maroons, committing too many turnovers and letting the Maroons pull ahead early.
University of Winnipeg commit Ava Shaw controlled the game and helped her team to a quick double-digit lead, which it maintained all night.
Crocus fought hard and hung around, though. Kate Hiebert knocked down a long three-pointer to get her team going, and Iliana Courchene found success driving hard to the rim.
DMCI led 31-19 at halftime.
“What really hurt us is there were some long stretches we were struggling to score, definitely in the first half,” Hartman said.
“We got shots we like but we were maybe feeling the nerves. I think if we took a half-second more and got our feet under us, we’d make them at a higher percentage.”
The Plainsmen started the second half far too slowly again, while the Maroons cashed a few big threes to extend the lead to 51-31 heading to the final frame.
After allowing just 10 points per quarter, a 20-point margin let Daniel Mac look relaxed for the next six minutes.
Perhaps, too relaxed.
Crocus Plainsmen Kate Hiebert draws a foul against the Daniel Mac Maroons during the first round of AAAA varsity girls basketball provincials in Winnipeg on Thursday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
The Plainsmen battled to the end, as Courchene had her best offensive quarter of the game. She hit a tough layup, banked a three, found Courtney Giesbrecht for a transition layup and forced a turnover that led to another bucket.
DMCI called a timeout, still up 57-44 with three minutes to go.
The teams traded mini runs down the stretch, and that was good enough for the Maroons to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Shaw ended with a game-high 41 points, including 23 from the free-throw line.
Courchene had 17 for Crocus in the last game of her career.
“I’ve really enjoyed the journey, getting to know the kids and teaching the kids and I’m certainly very proud of them for the season they’ve had,” Hartman said. “We beat a team that was ranked eighth (Jeanne-Sauve) that’s moving on (to the quarterfinals).
“It is what it is, I’m proud of the season, happy for the girls, sad it’s over and I’m going to miss them because they’ve made some significant contributions to our basketball program.”
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com