Spirits Advance To City League Final

The regular season second place Vanier Spirits defeated the third place Central Cyclones 73 - 41 to advance to the Moose Jaw High School Athletics Association senior girls final.

Playing a tight game the Spirits were able to stick to their game plan on way to the victory.

(Editor’s Note - since this was a final game at Vanier for a number of players on both teams, and they always ask for photos, we have included more photos than we usually do.)

Spirits’ Waverly Demassi tries to split the center lane for a layup

Thursday evening was not the type of evening Central Cyclones senior girls head coach Tanya McLean would have liked to have had.

Small mistakes had led to bigger consequences which cost the Cyclones the game.

“It was a very big disappointment tonight. Not the game we had hoped to come out and play,” McLean said in the post game interview with MJ Independent.

The Spirits’ Ava Kindiak (top) battles a Cyclones player on the floor for ball control

Asked about the improved discipline - which the team has suffered from in the majority of the season - she described it as a mixed bag.

“In some ways yes, in other ways definitely not,” she said.

Regarding if it was a difficult big hill to overcome to beat the Spirits she said the Cyclones struggled.

“We struggled shooting and running our offence. And I think we kind of got a little bit defeated once that score got up there.”

Cyclones’ Taylor Haavisto (right) is guarded by the Spirits’ Maddy Cruz

The Cyclones didn’t succeed as much as they had hoped in more than a few areas, she said.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well, our defence wasn’t as good as it needed to be,” she said.

Vanier on the other hand had excellent shooting.

“Kudos to Vanier they shot the lights out. That didn’t help either.”

Two Cyclones players attempt to grab the ball on the way breaking to the Spirits net

When it comes to next season the Cyclones, if they can retain players eligible to play year over year, has the potential to be a much improved team.

“We are always hopeful for next year.”

With the Cyclones losing only two players to graduation the potential is there for a much more experienced and better team.

The Spirits’ Ava Kindiak (left) attempts to pass the ball past an ever watchful Cyclones’ Taylor Haavisto

Although they are done in the city league the Cyclones are off to Regionals.

“We are hoping to meet up with Vanier at Hoopla. That’s the plan to meet up with Vanier at Hoopla,” McLane said.

An additional incentive is Hoopla - the provincial high school basketball championships - will be held in Moose Jaw.

Asked if she had anything further to say McLean said she wanted to “wish Vanier good luck in their final and the rest of their season.”

A battle for the ball in the key

For Vanier Spirits head coach Christa Lapointe the keys to the victory has been one based upon practice and repetition.

“It’s alway funny at the beginning of the season you worry about shooting and you compare it to what you did last year. I always tell the girls don’t worry about last year worry about this year,” Lapointe said.

“All season long our deal is to build into that shooting practice. The last month it has been a focus of ours.”

She said the shooting focus is worked on by the players coming in a couple of times a week during lunch.

The Spirits Ava Kindiak breaks for the basket

“The girls are excited because this is when you want the shots falling. This is when you want them to know the difference between a high percentage shot and a lower percentage shot.”

The team has learnt to give up an OK shot for a great shot by a teammate.

“They’re learning it and you can see it,” she said.

During Thursday evening’s game the Spirits proficiently worked the ball around to open space to make baskets.

Additionally the Spirits on defence forced the Cyclones back from the basket meaning many of their opponent’s shots were from the outside and tougher to make.

A layup attempt under heavy cover

Another major part of the Spirits game plan was a repetition of the last time the Spirits and Cyclones met.

Shutting down the very dangerous Addison (Addy) Simpson. Shutting down the center lane.

“Her (Addy Simpson) and (Ellah) Flanagan they like to drive so you have got to play that defence one on one. Guard your yard and have that team back up…you need to have a good defence but also close out those shooters.”

Despite the Spirits best efforts Flanagan was top scorer for the Cyclones with 12 points and Simpson was the Cyclones second high scorer with 9 points.

Spirits’ Kate Waldenberger (center) goes after a loose ball after fighting a battle for possession with the Cyclones’ Payton Krukoff

Asked about forcing the Cyclones to the outside and then attempting three point shots is something Lapointe said the Spirits can live with.

“Between man and zone (coverage) we try to disrupt everyone’s flow (when on defence). It’s what everyone else tries to go to us. Our defence is something we take pride in,” she said.

Asked if she was impressed by the aggressive game the Cyclones played Lapointe said was.

“That’s what I mean they don’t quit. They want that compete level in those girls. Those Central girls never quit until right to the end,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter which team. You want to rise up and meet that challenge.”

Asked about the four times the teams battled for the ball right on the hardwood (floor) she said that was a good thing.

Cyclones’ Maddy Simpson (left) carefully watches the Spirits’ Kate Waldenberger throw the ball back into play

“It means they are committed…if you don’t have bruises in basketball something is wrong…you should have bruises on the knees and down for the 50/50 (jump shot) balls.”

Asked what the Spirits take away was from the game Lapointe said “I’m just happy with the girls. Every time you go into a gym and play someone you have to respect them.”

“For us it’s you have to treat everyone with respect. Each team with respect and I’m proud our girls were able to play four quarters.”

She mentioned the third quarter specifically when they couldn’t generate much offence but “they didn’t let them effect them that much. They still got some stops and put up some good shots even though they were not falling.”

Cyclones’ Taylor Haavisto breaks down court

About their next opponent the powerhouse Swift Current Ardens Lapointe said the Spirits can defeat them despite not being able to do so this season.

“Swift Current we’ve seen them three times and we just fall a little bit short each time. But each time we see them we get better. The more we know what to do to get a win against them.”

Lapointe - despite the gym not being full - said it was nice to see a good fan turnout for Thursday’s game and was hoping all of the other schools playing on Thursday evening had a good turn out as well.

She said she was hopeful there would be a large turnout for the senior boys and girls city finals this Monday evening at SaskPoly Tech’s gym.

The senior girls play at 6:20 pm and the boys play at 8 pm.