Peacock Defeats Vanier In Intense Double Overtime Matchup
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
In front of overflowing bleachers of screaming fans and double overtime the Peacock Toilers defeated the Vanier Spirits 58 - 56.
The win gave the Toilers fifth place in the 2023 Moose Jaw Senior Girls Volleyball Invitational on Saturday.
The game and it’s double overtime was a thriller.
PEACOCK TOILERS PLAYERS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) JESSICA SElENSKY, HANNAH MILLER AND MATTAYA COUPLAND RUN TO EMBRACE BRAXTIN FEDOSKI SON OF COACHES BREnDAN AND MEGAN FEDOSKI AS PART OF THE DOUBLE OVERTIME VICTORY CELEBRATION - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
The Vanier Spirits twice coming from behind to tie the game and force an overtime period with mere seconds to spare.
The game saw the Toilers take a First Quarter score 14 - 8 over the Spirits.
Leading the way for the Toilers in the first quarter was Jessica Selensky with nine points - four baskets and one point from the foul line.
The Second Quarter saw the Toilers continuing to outscore the Spirits.
The second quarter saw the Spirits Ava Kindiak score all of Vaniers 8 points by making four baskets.
The score at the end of half was Peacock 23 and Vanier 16.
VANIER SPIRITS IRELAND GUILLAUME (LEFT) ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK PEACOCK TOILERS DEVLYNN MCCLUNG WHO WAS DRIVING TOWARDS THE BASKET - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
The Third Quarter saw the Spirits score 13 points versus the 7 points by the Toilers.
Vanier's guard Feona Tolentino scored ten points - three field goals (three pointers) and one point from the foul line.
The Fourth Quarter saw Vanier scored 16 points versus 15 points by Peacock.
Waverly Demassi scored 7 points for the Spirits.
Jessica Selensky scored 5 points for the Toilers.
The score at the end of regulation play was tied 45 - 45 sending the game into a three minute overtime period.
A major highlight of the game was with seconds to a Peacock three point First Overtime victory a three pointer by Vanier's Kate Waldenberger tied the game at 51.
The game was headed into its second overtime.
The Second Overtime saw the all out play continue by both teams.
The Toilers pressured the Spirits close in and Mattaya Coupland threw an underhand shot in traffic which made a basket giving Peacock a 58 - 56 lead.
Vanier would rush down the floor but pressure from Peacock would keep the Spirits six feet back from the three point line.
A resulting attempt to make a three pointer fell short.
PEACOCK TOILERS JESSICA SElENSKY TRIES TO GO RIGHT AROUND VANIER SPIRITS IRELAND GUILLAUME - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Vanier Spirit's head coach - who had been in a seeming chess matchup with her Peacock peers - Christa Lapointe said she was not surprised by the intensity and how hard fought the game was and its something the Spirits are use to.
“This is how our season has been. We have had probably eight barnburner games so they are learning to play all four quarters and learn how to play overtime,” Lapointe said.
The close fought games was good for the Spirits development.
“All of these experiences are good to get them into the playoff season and into the provincial (5A championship) run. So these are wonderful games to be in.”
Asked about the final seconds three pointer by Kate Waldenberger to tie the game and force a second overtime she said it was an intense feeling.
“It was amazing. Those are the wonderful moments and you are happy for the girls to have that success and to have that teamwork. Coming back and having that resiliency and grit to never quit. And they did. It was really good, Lapointe said.
VANIER SPIRITS IRELAND GUILLAUME TRIES TO MAKE A THREE POINTER WHILE GUARDED BY PEACOCK TOILERS JILL POLANSKI- MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Asked if she felt the Spirits were done in the first overtime she said no.
“We have had so many barnburners that it is never over until the buzzer. We told the hills to keep playing until the bitter end so I was happy,” Lapointe said.
“It felt like the A Side final but this was for fifth and sixth place it felt like a city championship, or a provincial championship so its just been wonderful.”
She said she was happy with the Spirits play throughout the three day tournament.
“There was not one game that our girls did not get challenged that they didn’t approve and they didn’t grow. And it’s about basketball but it’s about developing young ladies on and off of the court and they are a great team.”
VANIER SPIRITS HEAD COACH CHRISTA LAPOINTE GIVES HER PLAYERS STRATEGY AND INSTRUCTIONS DURING A TIME OUT - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
She said attending the Invitational “was wonderful having 16 teams. It’s good to connect with other teams and coaches.”
About playing their nemesis and Moose Jaw rivals in their final game she said it is what it is.
“One thing is when you go to a 16 team tournament you don’t want to see your own teams. You hope you can get exposure to other teams but it was fun and there was a lot of hard work.”
Lapointe said a great thing perhaps overlooked is that there were other teams watching the double overtime.
The warmup and start of the championship final was between tournament champions Regina's Sheldon Williams was purposely delayed to allow the teams to watch the overtime action.
“It was just a great weekend for female basketball.”
VANIER SPIRITS AVA KINDIAK REACHES TO STOP PEACOCK TOILERS MATTAYA COUPLAND'S SHOT. KINDIAK WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AS COUPLAND MADE THE BASKET TO GIVE THE TOILERS A TWO POINT LEAD LATE IN THE SECOND OVERTIME. THE BASKET WOULD PROVE TO BE THE GAME WINNER - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Lapointe said the weekend went beyond just playing basketball.
“As I said it is not just about basketball. It’s about developing young ladies and sportsmanship to deal with adversity and resiliency. For our girls it is about developing relationships and meeting new people and I’ve had fun working with new coaches. It’s great. It’s good to get them (the players) out and active in sport.”
Peacock Toilers head coach Brendan Fedoski said he expected the matchup against Vanier would be hard fought and exciting.
“What an exciting win. An amazing way to end the tournament. Vanier and ourselves have battled hard in our other game we played in December. So it was much of the same. It was fantastic,” Fedoski said.
He said he wasn’t unhappy playing a local team - Vanier Spirits - at the tournament.
“That is the beauty about this about this tournament. We see so many teams from across the province and sometimes you run across teams from your own town. It was a great battle,” he said.
PEACOCK TOILERS HANNAH MILLER DRIVES FOR THE BASKET THROUGH TWO VANIER SPIRITS DEFENDERS - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Asked if the tournament had a positive effect on the Toilers he replied “100 percent.”
“This is a very, very tough competition. It is a very competitive tournament. The more competition we face the better that we get. There has been tremendous growth for the girls throughout the four games that we played,” he said.
Asked for his feelings on the Vanier's Kate Waldenberger's three pointer to force a second overtime he said it was incredible.
“Oh I could not believe it at all. Wow what a shot. Kate Waldenberger she is a great shooter. She shot her shot and it went in. I couldn’t be happier for her,” he said.
Asked whether he thought the game was over with Peacock's victory in the bag with a three point lead and seconds left on the clock he said he didn’t.
“I didn't think it was over. You never think about it is over until it is over until buzzer goes and that is what we told the girls. We talked about it as a team and it is a learning moment for us.”
MJ Indepent asked Fedoski to describe the intensity of the game.
“The atmosphere was incredible. The fans, all the teams supporting. The girls were really into it. It was really just a great battle back and forth,” Fedoski said.
PEACOCK TOILERS HANNAH MILLER RECEIVES INSTRUCTIONS FROM COACH MEGAN FEDOSKI - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Asked if the matchup between the two Moose Jaw rivals made the five dollar admission worth it he said it did.
“It totally made it worth it. The other side of the gym actually paused their warm-up so they could come watch us. That just shows how good of a game it was,” he said.
With Vanier pressing for another basket Fedoski said another overtime was highly possible.
“I thought it was going to triple overtime. She (Vanier's Ireland Guillaume) had it. But the girls played great defense for that last shot. Just like we drew it up. And we talked about it. Playing tough defense and not allowing that to happen.”
Peacock's strategy was to force Vanier back away from the three point line to make any shot harder.
“Just keeping her back and making it a little bit more competitive and that is exactly what we talked about in that last time out,” Fedoski said.
THE INTENSITY OF THE MATCHUP IS APPARENT AS VANIER SPIRITS HEAD COACH CHRISTA LAPOINTE GIVES INSTRUCTIONS TO HER PLAYERS FROM THE BENCH DURING THE SECOND OVERTIME PERIOD - MJ INDEPENDENT PHOTO
Top Scorers Peacock
Jessica Selensky - 21 points
Devlynn McClung - 17 points
Hannah Miller - 10 points
Top Scorers Vanier
Waverly Demassi - 18 points
Ava Kindiak - 17 points
Kate Waldenberger- 5 points