Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
Just one Prince Albert high school basketball team remains in the hunt for a title after the first day of competition at the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association HOOPLA championship being held in Moose Jaw this weekend.
The Carlton Comprehensive High School senior boys were the lone local team to record a victory during opening-day action on Thursday when the No. 2-seeded Crusaders outscored Regina Leboldus 91-76.
Emerson McQuaig led all Carlton shooters with 38 points while Zane Litzenberger and Everett Moccasin-Bourke each chipped in with 20. The Crusaders were to meet Regina Sheldon Williams Collegiate in a late game on Friday and with a victory Carlton would advance to the HOOPLA 5A boy’s final scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.
“We’re looking forward to playing Sheldon Williams,” said Carlton head coach Randy Emmerson on Friday. “I think we match up well against them.”
“If we continue to bring the level of intensity and discipline that we have so far I think we should do well,” added Emmerson.
Sheldon Williams had upset the No. 3 seeded Saskatoon Walter Murray 69-61 on Thursday to advance to the semi-final tilt with Carlton. On the other side of the draw, the defending champions from Saskatoon Holy Cross were to face Regina Miller in the other semi-final, which was also scheduled for a late start on Friday.
Win or lose against Sheldon Williams, Carlton will be playing for a medal on Saturday as the winners of the late Friday games go right to the gold-medal match while the losers of those games will then battle for the bronze.
Regina Miller gained their berth in the final four by virtue of a 118-62 decision over Prince Albert’s St. Mary Marauders on Thursday. Kyeron Murphy was the top shooter for St. Mary registering 25 points with Isaiah Acero netting nine.
As a result of the loss to Regina Miller, St. Mary dropped to the consolation event where in the early game on Friday they outscored North Battleford Composite High School 86-68. That victory advances St. Mary to the consolation final on Saturday morning where they will meet Regina Leboldus, who also upset Walter Murray 77-74 in the other consolation semi-final.
Tymoor McKay paced St. Mary in the win over North Battleford scoring 30 points while Murphy had another solid outing scoring 25 points.
On the girl’s side of the 5A draw there was just the one Prince Albert team that qualified and the Carlton Crusaders did not fare so well losing their first game 88-43 to Saskatoon Walter Murray before being eliminated with a 68-53 decision to Swift Current in the consolation-side semi-finals.
Criseyde Borthwick led the way for Carlton against Walter Murray scoring 15 points while Taylor McCaskill added 11. Against Swift Current it was Borthwick and Bella Adams each dropping 14 points to lead all Carlton shooters.
Small-school provincials are also being held at HOOPLA this weekend with semi-finals in all divisions being played Friday and champions being determined throughout the day on Saturday. There are a number of schools from the surrounding area vying for titles including teams from Preeceville and St. Brieux among others.
