In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Regina Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers defeated the 16th-seeded Redvers Rams 85-50. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Ile-a-la-Crosse Rossignol Huskies defeated the Bengough Tigers 72-51. The Tigers included Shawn Hoffert, Stephon Boynton, J Kraven. …………………………………………………… The Foam Lake Panthers edged the Frontier Raiders 90-87. …………………………………………………… The Kinistino R.J. Humphrey Blues dusted the Fort Qu’Appelle Bert Fox Lakers 71-49. …………………………………………………… The Asquith Lord Asquith Lions nipped the Davidson Raiders 73-70. …………………………………………………… The Denzil Sacred Heart Red Devils clocked Star City 102-84. …………………………………………………… The Coronach Colts edged the Cut Knife Chief Poundmaker Chiefs 94-91. …………………………………………………… The Hepburn Hawks dispatched the Kerrobert James Charteris Rebels 64-55.
In the regional finals and provincial quarterfinals, the top-seeded Regina Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers dumped the Foam Lake Panthers 73-57. The Panthers included Brennan Hark, J Michelchuk.
The 2nd-seeded Ile-a-la-Crosse Rossignol Huskies dumped the Hepburn Hawks 62-54. The Hawks included Jeff Hamm, K Bueckert.
The 11th-seeded Coronach Colts dispatched whipped the Denzil Sacred Heart Red Devils 76-57.
In the last quarterfinal, the 5th-seeded Kinistino R.J. Humphrey Blues defeated spanked the Asquith Lord Asquith Lions 67-51.
In the semis, the top-seeded Regina Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers defeated the 5th-seeded Kinistino R.J. Humphrey Blues as Tim Harrison scored 17. Earl Ghostkeeper led the Blues with 17.
In the other semi, the 11th-seeded Coronach Colts knocked off the 2nd-seeded Ile-a-la-Crosse Rossignol Huskies 73-69. Ile-a-la-Crosse, accustomed to playing against small Northern towns with no audience and coached by 19-year-old Jonas Favel, a player a year earlier, appeared saucer-eyed early in the provincials in Saskatoon. “When we play, it’s mostly silence,” said guard Ryan Larson. Still, they overcame their jitters and knotted the score at 37 at the half. The teams traded the lead in the second half before Coronach pulled out the win. Tyronne Ratt scored 19 for Ile-a-la-Crosse, which suffered only its second loss of the season. “We came a long ways,” said Larson. “All that work, all those practices and it goes down to one game. It kind of hurts you inside when you lose by that close. But it’s good to see native people in tournaments like this,” added Larson, noting that the entire squad was comprised of Metis and treaty Indians. “It’s not very often you see a native team from way up north coming here and playing these guys. Younger kids are starting off now, following us. They’re getting into the sport and liking it. Hopefully, in the future, Ile-a-la-Crosse will have a name in basketball. We want to try and encourage our younger kids.” Luke Cobb paced Coronach with 25. Tyronne Ratt led the Huskies with 19.
In the bronze medal match, the 2nd-seeded Ile-a-la-Crosse edged the 5th-seeded Kinistino R.J. Humphrey Blues 65-64 as Barry Hodgson scored 16. Earl Ghostkeeper paced the Blues with 23.
In the final, held in Saskatoon, the Regina Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers defeated the 11th-seeded Coronach Colts 85-68, avenging losses in the two previous provincial finals. “It was really nice to win this time,” Tim Harrison, who scored 22, including 18 in the second half, told the Regina Leader-Post. “One thing I didn’t want to do was go home with a silver medal. It took us three years, but we finally got it done. It’s a great way to go out.” Harrison, along with Kevin Blackett and Jarred Greff had played in all three finals. “After the game, all three of us went forward to accept the plaque, the ball and the trophy,” said Harrison. “We held the trophy in the air. Everyone was cheering. It was a great feeling. The three of us have been playing basketball together since grade 8 and we played together in three championships. All three of us were on the floor at the end, watching the seconds tick away on the clock. It was a great experience. A lot of the people from our school went up to Saskatoon to watch us and cheer for us. Everyone is proud and happy. Now we have to try to find room for the trophy in the case. … Before Hoopla, I said, if we lose this weekend, I’m not coming home. I’ll just stay in Saskatoon for a couple of years and then maybe I’ll show up. I wasn’t prepared to lose. I didn’t want to go out like that. This is a much better way to finish. … Harvest City is the mecca of Regina basketball.” Jeremy Isted led Harvest City with 18. Beckett added 17. Stephen Galbraith paced the Colts with 27. Harvest City coach Joel Wells said the only disappoint thing was not being able to beat arch-rival Saskatoon Christian Centre Academy, winners of the previous two A provincials, in the final. Their rivals had stepped up to Division AA. “Actually, that was a little disappointing because we thought this might be the year we beat them,” said Wells. “We had everyone back and they had lost a few players. But we’re not complaining.” Harrison said losing again in a final “would have been very tough. It was definitely on my mind. Going into the game, I was trying to calm myself down, because last year I came out and I was too excited; I couldn’t get anything in the hoop. In the first half today, I was calm, but again, nothing was going in the hoop. I thought `I know I can make these shots.’ Coronach, which finished (24-5) on the season “didn’t figure we were an 11th-seeded team,” said coach Greg Leavitt. “I don’t know how they organize their rankings at all. We didn’t figure we were an 11th-ranked team. We beat (numbers) six, three, two, and we came very close to No. 1. I really don’t think the rankings hold much water. We proved that we should have been up there. I’m thrilled and proud of them. They’re a bunch of kids who never quit all year.” Harrison told the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix that “Harvest City is the mecca of Regina basketball.” Colts coach Greg Leavitt said “I don’t know how they organize their rankings at all. We didn’t figure we were an 11th-ranked team. We beat (numbers) six, three, two, and we came very close to No. 1. I really don’t think the rankings hold much water. We proved that we should have been up there. I’m thrilled and proud of them. They’re a bunch of kids who never quit all year.”
The bronze medalist Ile-a-La-Crosse Rossignol Huskies: Ryan Larson; Tyronne Ratt; Barry Hodgson; coach Jonas Favel
The silver medalist Coronach Colts: Luke Cobb; Stephen Galbraith; coach Greg Leavitt
The gold medalist Regina Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers: Tim Harrison; Kevin Blackett; Jarred Greff; Jeremy Isted; coach Joel Wells; assistant Brett Blair