It was a weekend of mixed results for the Olds High School senior basketball teams at their joint Spartan Classic basketball tournament.
For the senior girls it was a solid weekend where they missed out on the podium but showed they'll be a tough team down the stretch, while the boys' team showed plenty of effort but could not find a result from their three games.
The Spartan girls started the weekend off right by winning their opening game against Lacombe 47-44 behind 18 points from Desirae Lupino, putting the locals into the A side of the draw.
In their second contest they came up against Central Memorial, a 4A school from Calgary, and dropped a 65-34 decision to the eventual tournament champions, putting the Spartans into the third place game. Sarah Delong scored 12 points to lead the OHS crew with 10 from Terra Chalack.
The third place game against South Central Zone rivals Springbank was a back and forth affair that saw the home side lose a 10-point lead to eventually drop a 54-49 decision to the Phoenix, an honourable mention in the 3A girls provincial poll.
Head coach Karla Shultz was understandably thrilled with the way the team played all weekend, showing a dramatic improvement from tournament results earlier in the season.
ìThe girls played an amazing game against Springbank,î she enthused. ìThey fought hard inside the key on defence and shot well outside.î
On the boys side, the Spartans were unable to get much going on the offensive side as they dropped three consecutive contests. In their opener, the Spartans lost 57-35 followed by a 57-27 setback to West Central from Rocky Mountain House.
With the Brooks boys' team unable to make the tournament due to weather, the Spartans ended up playing a pair of first round games to make up for the absence of the Buffaloes. In the consolation final, the locals dropped a 60-42 decision to the Sundre Scorpions.
According to wing Steve Jeges, the team knows they still have a lot of work to do before they host the South Central Zone finals in March. He said the chance to play good teams is all part and parcel in that development.
ìIt helps us build and if we play against better teams we only get better,î Jeges said. ìWe do have a busy schedule this month and we have a lot of practising to do to just keep getting better.î
Overall, West Central went on to win the boys' side of the tournament.
In league play both Spartan squads head to Cremona on Wednesday to face the Cougars while the girls' team will be at a tournament in Airdrie hosted by George MacDougal High School.
