Toilers Headed To Senior Boys City Basketball Final

Photos and Story by Robert Thomas

The Moose Jaw senior boys high school basketball semi - final matchup can be described as a game of three teams.

First there was the Peacock Toilers.

A strong and tall team made up of many members of the Peacock Tornadoes football team.

The regular season had been good for the Toilers they had a 4 wins and two losses record.

They had not lost to their semi-final opponents, the Vanier Vikings, during the season.

The Vanier Vikings for their part had a disastorous no win and six losses regular season.

The end result of the game seemed a foregone conclusion.

But then the other Vikings boys team showed up.

Video of the Half Time dance off between the team's mascots.

This was a Vikings team which had not been seen all season.

This was a Vikings team which was organized, fast, aggressive but most importantly confident.

This was a Vikings team that jumped into a 5 - 0 lead against the Toilers.

It was a team that went toe to toe with the Toilers. Matching the Toilers step by step, rebound by rebound, pass for pass and basket by basket.

The score at the end of the First Quarter was Peacock 18 and Vanier 15.

The Second Quarter saw the revitalized Vikings match the Toilers with an exchange of baskets. Both teams would score 12 points.

The Half Time Score was Peacock 30 and Vanier 27.

The capacity Peacock gym had a strong contingent of Vanier fans and the loud screaming crowd was treated to a half-time dance off that arguably Vanier’s Viking mascot won.

Everything was looking good for the Vikings.

But then the wheels fell off.

The Third Quarter saw the Vikings new found confidence blown away.

The Toilers struck hard and fast.

Within minutes the Toilers would go up by 13 points and the game literally slipped through the Vanier Vikings grasp.

The score at the end of the quarter was Peacock 57 and Vanier 28.

The Fourth Quarter saw a partial return of the Vikings confidence and they managed to outscore the Toilers in the quarter by two points.

But it was too late and the Peacock Toilers won with a 71 - 45 score.

The Toilers now have a date with the Central Cylones in the city final on March 14th.

Peacock Top Scorers

Mac Simpson - 12 points

Josh Johnson - 11 points

Vanier High Scorers

Eric Miele - 11 points

SENIOR LEAGUE FINALS

Tuesday March 14th

Sask Polytech Gym

Senior Girls 6:20 pm

Senior Boys 8 pm