Spirits Close Center Lane To Hem In Cyclones
For a brief moment in the third quarter it looked like the Central Cyclones senior girls basketball team was about to give the Vanier Spirits a real run for their money.
The Cyclones were behind but they had managed to reduce a double digit Spirits lead to just seven points.
But then the Cyclones quit scoring and pressure from the Spirits kicked in and the potential come from behind win disappeared.
In the end the Spirits would dump the Cyclones by a score of 71 - 49.
Shutting down the center lane was a big part of the Spirits game plan. It was a strategy which targeted the Cyclones Addison Simpson (center) who is a proficient inside shooter
The First Quarter score was Vanier 21 and Central 8.
The Halftime Score was Vanier 31 and Central 23.
The Third Quarter score was Vanier 51 and Central 31.
The Final Score was Vanier 71 and Central 49.
For Vanier Spirits head coach Christa Lapointe the win wasn’t a foregone conclusion.
“Any time you come into a game and you haven’t seen a for quite a while and you’re halfway through the season you never know what’s going to happen because everyone improves,” Lapointe said.
Cyclones Ella Magnan (left) is pursued closely by the Spirits Ava Kindiak. It was part of the Spirits game plan to put continual pressure on the Cyclones
“It was nice to come into Central. They are a great team. You could tell they had some great shooters in the end we had to contend with. As for our girls it was about momentum and playing four quarters,” she said.
Asked about the third quarter where Central pulled within seven points Lapointe said it demonstrated the need to play hard all game.
“That’s where the four quarters comes into play. And learning not give an inch as it changes so fast. So playing the game hard all the way through as I didn’t know it was within seven (points) so every minute you have to do your job.”
Cyclones Ella Magnan (right) is pursued closely by the Spirits Ava Kindiak. It was part of the Spirits game plan to put continual pressure on the Cyclones
Asked about Central scoring magnet Addison Simpson it was one thing Lapointe said they had to do.
“It’s not just her. Her on the inside she is very strong and very agile. What a great player to watch. The thing is you focus on the inside.”
Regarding double teaming Simpson on the inside she said “you have got to take care of business sometimes,”she said, adding “with every team there are strengths you have got to be ready for.”
Focusing on double team on the inside track opened the Spirits up to shooters as it freed up an opponent. It’s something the Cyclones capitalized on to some extent in the first half.
“That was our game plan doubling down on the inside. But as soon as you do that you have got to watch the shooters.”
Spirits Kate Waldenberger (right) keeps a close watch on an opponent
“With basketball every game changes so you have to get ready with fundamentals and skills. Adapt and change on the fly. Our girls are getting there,” she said.
Simpson was held to just 11 points on the night.
Asked about how well the game plan worked she said she was happy with it.
“It was good. We wanted to put pressure. Our girls we wanted to get them in shape and game ready for the second part of the season and getting ready for that pressure defence. And adapting and communicating our goals and they’re stepping up.”
Spirits Kate Waldenberger Goes past the cyclones brooklyn watterson thanks to a block from spirits teammate Maddy Cruz
“We kind of fell apart in the second half there,” Cyclones head coach Tanya McLean said.
“We couldn’t play a full game. We struggled with our offence,” McLean said.
In the first half of play the Cyclones started out head to head against the Spirits with the play going up and down the court.
The score remained tied with nil points for either team for just over two minutes. Not a typical start for the Spirits.
In the first half of play the Spirits blocked out the inside lane but the Cyclones responded with baskets shot from the outside.
The Spirits could not hit from the outside at the rate the Cyclones did in the first half. The roles reversed in the second half of the game.
“We were happy eight points (spread) at the half but 22 at the end…we just have to carry it through to a full game.”
Spirits Ava Kindiak (left) attempts to evade the Cyclones Brooklyn Watterson
Asked about the Spirits using two players to jam up the inside lane this targeting Addison Simpson she said the Cyclones will have to learn how to adapt.
“She’s an aggressive offensive player. We just have got to learn what to do next.”
“Addy is a key player for us for sure. And we just need to figure out what to do when that happens to her. What she needs to and what everybody else needs to do,” she said.
“And we couldn’t figure that out tonight.”
Spirits Ireland Guillaume (left) grabs for a loose ball against Lily G
“If we could have kept that momentum up a little bit longer. And we just couldn’t score any points at the end.”
Asked about the Spirits game plan of putting pressure on the Cyclones McLean said the team handled it well.
“I think we did OK. I think we did fairly well. We had too many turnovers which is our monkey on our backs all year. A lot of it we do it to ourselves,” she said.
Asked about the Cyclones improved discipline she said it was an area where the team has improved.
“Defensively this is great we never want to run into any foul trouble.”
Spirits Kate Waldenberger (left) tries to pass while covered closely by the cyclones Taylor Haavisto
Thoughts about the Exam Break…
The season now takes its second scheduled pause - the Exam Break.
McLean said she had mixed feelings heading into the Exam Break typifying her feelings as “yes and no.”
Cyclones Mackenzie Shymko gets ready to take a shot
For Lapointe the Exam Break is welcomed as the Spirits could use the rest.
“The girls need a much needed rest as we had two tournaments in a row. We had two tournaments Moose Jaw and then in Yorkton…they need not only to recuperate but after exams they need a mental break,” she said.
After that the Spirits are headed to Saskatoon to take part in the Walter Murray Collegiate tournament.
