In the regional qualifiers and Regina city playoffs: …………………………………………………… In the opening round, the 9th-seeded Luther Lions defeated the 8th-seeded Miller Marauders x-x. The Marauders (coached by Garret Kot) included Nathan Hoffart, Josh Fink, Nolan Lerner, Kevin Feszczyn. …………………………………………………… In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Winston Knoll Wolverines dusted the 9th-seeded Luther Lions 100-70 as Joel Hunter scored 26. Josh Radigk paced the Lions with 21. The Lions (coached by David Hall) also included Clint Ludtke, Ricky Tiefenbach, Ben Cherland. …………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Balfour Redmen whipped the 5th-seeded Michael A. Riffel Royals 95-63 as Whit Hornsberger scored 58. Ryan Ziegler led the Royals with 20. The Royals (coached by Mark Gottselig) also included Trevor Seliner, Brayden Wright, Magnum Kish, Brad Bouvier, Jason Skolney. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Martin Monarchs whipped the 7th-seeded Campbell Tartans 99-80 as Aideen Zareh scored 34 and Nat Schaefer 20. Matt Greenbeg led the Tartans with 21. Jason Frick added 20. The Tartans (coached by Glenn Szabo) also included Jordan Musleh, John Bailey, John Britton, Brad Hopkins, Preston Ganne. …………………………………………………… In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded Archbishop M.C. O’Neill Titans burned the 6th-seeded Sheldon-Williams Spartans 84-66 as Sam Lamontagne scored 27. Matt Cherkas led the Spartans with 31. The Spartans (coached by Jason Nicurity) also included Trent Folk, Zach Michell, Michael Bayda, Jon Ryans. …………………………………………………… In the semis, the Balfour Redmen clocked the Winston Knoll Wolverines 92-68 as Dagan Harding scored 21, Henok Beyene 21 and Whit Hornsberger 19. Dallyn Smith led the Wolverines with 17. Aaron Anderson added 13 and Joel Hunter 13. The Wolverines (coached by Steve Burrows) also included Doug Fisher, Jared Frey, Tyler Wilson, Rob Taylor. …………………………………………………… In the other semi, the Martin Monarchs defeated the Archbishop M.C. O’Neill Titans 89-80 as Cole Lawson scored 23. Anthony DiPaola led the Titans with 26. The Titans (coached by Dave Ripplinger) also included John Uhren, Robb Desjarlais, Sam Lamontagne, Efren Linantud. …………………………………………………… In the final, the Balfour Redmen edged the Martin Monarchs 73-68 as Whit Hornsberger scored 34 and Josh Lemieux 10. Alek Arsenic led the Monarchs with 17. Cole Lawson added 15.
In the regional qualifiers and Saskatoon city playoffs: …………………………………………………… In the quarterfinals, the 6th-seeded Bedford Road Redmen stunned the 3rd-seeded Evan Hardy Souls 64-50 as Trevor Dawe scored 19 and Cory Mithcell 19. Chris Eckert led the Souls with 12. …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Bishop J. Mahoney Saints torched the 8th-seeded Mount Royal Mustangs 95-54 as Dustin Fruson scored 22 and Lee Kolla 22. Mike Linklater led the Mustangs with 15. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Aden Bowman Bears whipped the 7th-seeded Marion Graham Falcons 92-69 as Rick Bowes scored 21. Matt Reid led the Falcons with 22. …………………………………………………… In the last quarterfinal, the 4th-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders edged the 5th-seeded St. Joseph Guardians 68-64 as Tyler Sander scored 18. Brad Jalbert led the Guardians with 16. …………………………………………………… In the semis, the Bishop J. Mahoney Saints blasted the Holy Cross Crusaders 91-57 as Dustin Fruson scored 42. Tyler Sander led the Crusades with 18. …………………………………………………… In the other semi, the Aden Bowman Bears nipped the Bedford Road Redmen 74-73 in double-overtime. Matt Youse paced the Bears with 21, while Kodi Poettker scored all 9 of Bowman’s points in the second overtime. Trevor Dawe led the Redmen (coached by Kory Dawe) with 20. Raul Orellana added 20 and Cory Mitchell 20. …………………………………………………… In the final, the Bishop J. Mahoney Saints dusted the Aden Bowman Bears 95-63 as Dustin Fruson scored 40. Arya Alaie led the Bears with 18.
In the small cities playoff, held in Weyburn: …………………………………………………… In the quarterfinals, the 2nd-seeded Weyburn Eagles defeated the 7th-seeded Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders 76-47. …………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Prince Albert St. Mary Marauders stomped the 4th-seeded Swift Current Colts 83-58. …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Moose Jaw Peacock Toilers dusted the Yorkton Regional Raiders 76-47. …………………………………………………… In the last quarterfinal, the Estevan Elecs clipped the North Battleford Comprehensive Vikings 78-64. …………………………………………………… In the semis, the Weyburn Eagles dumped the Estevan Elecs 89-73. …………………………………………………… In the other semi, the Moose Jaw A.E. Peacock Toilers dispatched the Prince Albert St. Mary Marauders 65-49. …………………………………………………… In the final, the Weyburn Eagles defeated the Moose Jaw A.E. Peacock Toilers 72-67.
In the provincial quarterfinals, the 3rd-seeded Saskatoon Aden Bowman Bears defeated 6th-seeded Moose Jaw A.E. Peacock Toilers 86-43. “I think we’re all pretty happy with the win here,” Bears guard Adam Patola told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. “We’ll enjoy it for a minute, but now we’ve got to get ready for Balfour.” The Bears led 13-11 early and then blew the game open, holding Peacock to just 2 points through the remainder of the half and leading 48-13 at the break. “We didn’t know anything about them,” Patola said. “We were a bit shaky at the start, trying to figure out what they could do. We had heard a little bit, but we had to find out for ourselves on the court. Once we got calmed down a bit and realized what was going on, we were OK. They crashed hard, but we had Rick Bowes and Grant McKay rebounding everything; they grabbed it all. Us guards were busting out and we got six straight lay-ups off of that. We got some good looks when we ran our offence and when we got the chance to get out and run, we did that.” Kevin Qually and McKay each scored 11 to pace the Bears. Mark Gould led Peacock with 9. The Toilers also included David Stevens.
In the other quarterfinal, the 4th-seeded Regina Martin Monarchs defeated the 5th-seeded Weyburn Eagles 81-64. “This was a good way to start,” Monarchs head coach Ray Jacoby told the Regina Leader-Post. “Everybody stayed fairly fresh. We were able to get a lot of players in. Some of the guys who usually play 35 minutes a game were able to sit on the bench for a while.” Cole Lawson led the Monarchs with 19. Rick Shaw added 15. We shot the ball well,” Jacoby said. “The guys showed a lot of confidence. We weren’t sure they would because we hadn’t played in a week. We were anxious to play.” D.J. Gall had 20 points for Weyburn.
In the semis, the top-seeded Saskatoon Bishop J. Mahoney Saints nipped the Regina Martin Monarchs 78-76 as Josh Kinzel scored the winner on a layup with 2.7 seconds on the clock. The Monarchs had knotted the score at 76 with 12.7 seconds to play on a pair of free throws by Alek Arsenic. “We can’t complain about our season but it’s tough when it comes down to the wire to end our hopes,” Monarchs assistant coach Heith Martin told the Regina Leader-Post. Kinzel told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix that if he’d missed, he would’ve been walking home. “I don’t know who would have given me a ride. I’ve made that shot so many times, just not under that pressure.” The Grade 12 post was the recipient of a great feed by teammate Dan Reid. With the game clock winding down in a 76-76 tie, Reid drove baseline and was met by three Martin defenders. Instead of forcing a shot, he found Kinzel unchecked under the hoop. “It was all Dan,” said Kinzel. “He did the work and I just had to hit a simple shot. He was the hero.” The game-winning play was the climax of a back-and-forth contest. The biggest margin was six and there were “more lead changes than I could count,” said Saints coach Brian Carduner. “Both teams had chances to run away with it but, to the credit of both, neither let that happen.” Whether it was Reid, Lee Kolla, Dustin Fruson or Mitch Grant for the Saints, or Rick Shaw or Alek Arsenic for Martin, each squad had guys making clutch plays. Arsenic hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to tie the game, setting the stage for Kinzel and Reid. Carduner said the winning shot demonstrated a lot of composure. “That was so far from what we wanted them to run. I guess it shows that the less I talk, the better the guys do,” Carduner said. Kolla paced the Saints wit 19. Shaw led Martin with 25.
In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Regina city champion Balfour Redmen defeated the Saskatoon Aden Bowman Bears 92-90 as Brad Fekula drove for a layup with seven seconds to play. Whit Hornsberger paced the Redmen with 50 before fouling out with 2.5 minutes to play. “It was quite the performance by Whit,” Redmen coach Glen Fekula told the Regina Leader-Post. “It’s amazing how consistently he can perform at that level. He averages 37 ppg and scores 40 or 50 quite regularly, even when people are preparing against that. It’s not like he’s surprising anybody.” Brad Fekula added 17. Aden Bowman’s Arya Alaie missed a last-second three-pointer. Fekula’s drive “was a huge play when we needed it,” Balfour’s Whit Hornsberger told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Fekula’s lay-up came moments after Alaie, who scored 30, hit a trey to knot the score at 90. Fekula got the inbounds and rushed down the floor before Bowman knew what was going on. “We got caught napping,” said Bears coach Paul Humbert, “and they made a great play. For it to come down to one shot for a spot in the provincial final is all you can ask. But I’m so disappointed, I’m so disappointed for my guys.” The Bears (coached by Humbert) also included Rick Bowes, Matt Yausie, and Kodi Poettker.
In the bronze medal match, the Regina Martin Monarchs defeated the Saskatoon Aden Bowman Bears 79-59 as Alek Arsenic scored 25 and nabbed 15 boards. Nat Schaefer added 17, Aideen Zareh 14 and Rick Shaw 13. “It was nice, given that we couldn’t be in the final,” Monarchs coach Ray Jacoby told the Regina Leader-Post. “It’s nice to get a medal. The guys played very well. They had a great game.” Arya Alaie had 11 for Bowman. The Bears (coached by Paul Humbert, assistant Chris Mirwald) also included Kodi Poettcker, Matt Yausie, Rick Bowes, Grant McKay, Adam Patola, Kevin Qually, Colton Wall, Wade Phillips, Evan Olson, Kris Dahl, Jeremy Veszi and Logan Mayes.
In the final, the top-seeded Saskatoon Bishop J. Mahoney Saints thrashed the 2nd-seeded Regina Balfour Redmen 96-67. Mahoney led 41-39 at the half but over a four-minute span early in the second half, extended their lead to 21. Dan Reid led Mahoney with 25 points, including two treys and a layup during the second-half run. Dagan Harding led Balfour with 24. Whit Hornsberger added 22. “It feels awesome but I don’t think it’s set in yet what we’ve done,” Saints guard Mitch Grant, who sparked the Saints with 12 first-half points, told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. “I think when I go home, I’ll probably start screaming and yelling, realizing that we’re provincial champs.” That outcome was in doubt for much of the game, especially in the opening moments of the second half. Balfour trailed only 41-39 at the break despite having star Whit Hornsberger sit out most the half in foul trouble. “We thought we had weathered that storm and would be able to come out strong in the second,” said Fekula. Reid noted that “we were trying to get the lead to 10 at half and they kept it close, even without Hornsberger. We knew we’d have to pick it up a lot in the second half because we weren’t hitting our shots or making plays.” With about 13 minutes left and the saints leading 47-45, Reid sparked the Saints’ four-minute run with two treys, a lay-up and a few steals and several assists. “I hit my first one so I thought I might as well take the next one. It kept flowing. Once that started, everyone got going and everyone contributed.” Fekula said “we got in a little frenzy mode. We were down a couple, Reid hits two or three in a row and all of a sudden, we’re down 14 and it’s panic mode. They hit some timely shots and we couldn’t answer them in that big stretch. It’s tough to guard a team with so many perimeter players and it puts a lot of pressure on you. Their three-quarter court press hurt us. We didn’t handle it very well and that got them some easy points to build the lead.” Grant agreed with Fekula that the Saints’ defence in the second half was a major factor. “We picked it up a lot and Balfour had a hard time with it. Once that clicked in, it led to a lot of our scoring and then we had everything working,” he said. Despite the big lead, Reid said he wasn’t able to relax until “there was only a minute or two left. Balfour can put up a lot of points but when Hornsberger fouled out and it was getting into the last couple of minutes, I knew we had it. It’s been a long time coming for this team and it’s so great for the Grade 12s being able to go out on top. We’re really going to enjoy this one.” Balfour coach Glen Fekula told the Regina Leader-Post that “I told the guys after our game that this doesn’t tarnish the season. We still hold capturing the city championship on a parallel with the provincial championship, or maybe even higher, in terms of team goals.”
The bronze medalist Regina Martin Monarchs: Alek Arsenic; Nat Schaefer; Aiden Zareh; Rick Shaw; Cole Lawson; Brad Lander; Dustin Dolejsi; coach Ray Jacoby; assistant Heith Martin
The silver medalist Regina Balfour Redmen: Dagan Harding; Whit Hornsberger; Josh Lemieux; Brad Fekula; Mike Hammerlindl; Terry Geddes; Mike Sali; Malcom General; Garrett Schmidt; Stu Scheurwater; Henok Beyene; coach Glen Fekula; assistant Scott Babcok; assistant Rob Thompson; manager Shannon Lazarenko; manager Lindsay Folk
The gold medalist Saskatoon Bishop J. Mahoney Saints: Dan Reid, Jamal Denny, Kevin Langdon, Curtis Moneo; Lee Kolla; Mitch Grant; Dustin Fruson; Brad Jamison; Josh Kinzel; Ryan Sadoway; Matt Soroski; Tyler Sharp; Michael Sherman; coach Brian Carduner; assistant Rob Blais