Peacock Takes A Double Take In Victory Over Vanier
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
Peacock Toilers Kayden (right) jumps in an attempt to make an offensive rebound - MJ Independent photo
The final score wasn't the most prettiest outcome for the Vanier Vikings White team.
In fact it could be called downright ugly.
As they lost 89 - 41 to the Peacock Toilers in junior boys high school basketball on Thursday evening.
But in the words of the Vikings assistant coach of what is ostensibly Vanier's “B team” improving and having fun on the court was well worth what on paper looks like yet another drubbing.
For Peacock's head coach the game and victory were just what the Toilers needed.
A game with two winning teams.
Vanier Vikings J Warren (left) is closely covered by Peacock Toilers Caleb - MJ Independent photo
The game saw the Toilers make the first basket in the first minute and never look back.
The score at the end of the First Quarter was Peacock 21 and Vanier 10.
The Half Time Score was Peacock 44 and Vanier 25.
The score at the end of the Third Quarter was Peacock 68 and Vanier 31 as the home team turned up the heat with fast rushes and layups racking up the baskets
The Final Score was Peacock 89 and Vanier 41.
Peacock Toilers Kaison leaps in an attempt to make a layup. He would be the toilers top scorer with 24 points - MJ Independent photo
Top Scorers For Peacock
Kaison - 24 points
Kayden - 12 points
Top Scorers For Vanier
R Fortin - 11 points (9 points by three pointers)
Miguel Fortin - 8 points
Peacock Toilers Tristin (left) is draped all Vanier Vikings D Warren as he drives for the basket - MJ Independent photo
Despite the loss Vanier Vikings White assistant coach Paul Diggins was a very happy with his team's play.
“I am so proud of how my guys are doing. We have got a lot of guys who have never played basketball before and very little experience and they are becoming better by leaps and bounds,” Diggins said.
He pointed out how the scoresheets have improved for the team.
“We were getting tripled in score at the beginning of this year and we are bringing it down,” he said, adding “if you look at it man it looks like we are getting Pounder. But I have never had so much fun coaching kids.”
Vanier Vikings J Warren (left) attempts to break past Peacock Toilers Kayden - MJ Independent photo
Diggins said the team is ready to learn and are easy to coach.
“They just listen so well and try to put into play what we are doing. I can't say enough about the kids.”
Being Vanier's “B Team means there are nine Grade Nines on the 13 player roster.
Asked about what it was like being the coach on the B Team Diggins pointed out it was all about player development and having fun.
“Somebody asked me why I would do that and I said ‘it is not all about winning.’”
“These guys are learning it. They are absorbing it. At the beginning (of the season) we were getting pounded and they were coming to practice with a smile on their face,” he said.
“You can't beat that.”
Peacock Toilers Owen rebounds at the half time buzzer - MJ Independent photo
Asked what it was like to coach a team that had loss after loss after loss he said it wasn't as hard as it seemed.
“One would think it would be difficult but it isn't. I sat on the bench with these guys tonight and asked them if the were having fund and they said yeah this is great I am not even tired.”
Diggins said the effort should pay off with more than a few likely headed off to play on Vanier's junior boys “A Team” next season.
Diggins and head coach Rich Adams might be coaching a unique team but the uniqueness or quirkiness goes further than development.
The team has not one set but two sets of identical twins - the Fortins and the Warrens.
The Fortins are known for their explosive and intense style of play and making three pointers under pressure.
The Warrens are good in the corners and not afraid to drive through traffic to attempt layups.
Both sets of twins make fans take a double take.
Peacock Toilers head coach Kara Rigden said for her team it was two different games.
“I thought in the first half we didn't play very good defensively. And I thought in the second half we had time to regroup at half time. We cane out and our defense was much better,” Rigden said.
Asked if playing games against weaker competition helped or hindered the Toilers she said there were advantages to it.
“It helps me to get a lot of people out on the floor. To get a lot of minutes for everybody and regain our confidence,” she said mentioning the Wednesday evening 64 - 56 loss to the Central Cyclones Gold team.
Vanier Vikings J Lanzo (left) attempts to get past Peacock Toilers Caleb - MJ Independent photo
“They shot the lights out last night,” she said about Wednesday evening's loss.
Thursday evening's game for the Toilers was a split in intensity between the two halves of play.
“In the second half once we picked up our intensity we actually did some really good things and then we got scores off of it too.”
Asked if she had done a double take when she discovered the Toilers opponents had not one but two sets of identical twins Rigden laughed saying “yeah we did.”
“We knew there was one (set of twins) and then we were like wait, wait those two boys look exactly alike too. That's pretty cool.”
Rigden joked “so that was maybe the causes of some of our defensive lapses in the first half they didn't know which one they had.”
Vanier Vikings R Fortin (left) gets past a Peacock Toiler defender after a successful block by teammate T Sabhaty - MJ Independent photo
In seriousness though she said the Toilers adjusted their game coverage based upon uniform numbers.
Both teams - as are other teams in both boys and girls in junior and senior ranks - on an exam week break.
