Welcoming an opportunity to face Alberta competition, the Lloydminster Comprehensive Barons earned silver in the process at the Holy Rosary Invitational senior high school girls’ basketball tournament.
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The Barons, who generally play against Saskatchewan teams, lost 76-38 to one of School Sport Alberta’s strongest 3A schools, the Camrose Trojans, in the Holy Rosary tourney final Jan. 10 at home in Lloydminster. The Trojans received an honourable mention in the initial provincial 3A girls’ rankings.
“The teams we saw this weekend, we don’t (usually) see, because we play in Sask and Holy plays in Alberta,” said Lloyd Comp coach Keyanna Bannerman.
“So, it’s kind of neat. We have Rosetown and Kindersley and North Battleford coming (to the Barons home tournament Jan. 30 and 31 in Lloyd), but we also have Edmonton teams coming. So, it’s a good mix for teams that don’t (normally) see each other.”
Likewise, the Holy Rosary tournament afforded the Barons a chance to go against three Alberta teams in the Raiders and Trojans, along with Westlock’s R.F. Staples.
After a couple of victories, Lloyd Comp ran into a formidable Camrose club in the gold-medal game. The Barons trailed by 10 points (33-23) at the intermission but couldn’t withstand the Trojans’ pressure and experience in the second half.
“It was a tough final game, but a good tournament,” Bannerman said. “Camrose has 10 Grade 12s right now, so they’ve been building for a while. Their coach used to coach here (at Holy Rosary), so he has connections here. It’s kind of nice for my assistant coach, because he knew him from before.
“Camrose is known for being a really tough team. Their boys are in the gold-medal game as well. They run a good program.”
In the boys’ championship game later that day, Holy Rosary topped Camrose 80-69.
On the girls’ side, the host Raiders finished with a 1-2 record in their eight-team tournament, including a victory in the fifth-place game.
In its earlier games, Lloyd Comp defeated Holy Rosary 59-52 and R.F. Staples 67-32.
“We started off playing the home team, which is always fun to do,” Bannerman said about that all-Lloydminster game. “A cross-town rivalry to kick off a tournament. We had a really good game with them, and we had to work for it.”
The Barons followed up with their 35-point victory over the Westlock club.
“That was a good game, too,” Bannerman said. “We were able to get more of our bench in that game and just spread some of the playing time around, which was good. It helped us out today (in the final), because our starters were a little bit fresher, as far as their legs.”
Lloyd Comp’s 12-player roster includes seven Grade 12 students.
“Three of them are really strong,” Bannerman said about her seniors. “Sofia Simpson, as you saw today, she’s amazing. She’s an incredible athlete.
“Lindsay Randell, she’s just such a strong girl and she has such a positive presence.
“Juris Mendoza, she’s our little No. 4. She’s not very big, but she plays really hard and with her whole heart all the time.”
Three Grade 11 students and two from Grade 10 round out the Barons’ roster.
“We have seven Grade 12s, but two of them have never played (high school basketball) before,” Bannerman said. “They’ve just kind of picked it up in the last year or so. They’re naturally athletic, and one of them (six-foot-five Allie Tobin) just signed to Lakeland (College), and this is her first year of playing basketball. Allie played for Evolve basketball last spring, prior to coming to us.
“Yeah, we’re blessed with a really great group. (but) our experience is not quite as deep as theirs (Camrose).”
Working with Bannerman this season are Barons’ assistant coaches Lucas Lacombe, Raff Delfin and Danielle Crossley.
The Barons will have more Lloyd Comp company this weekend when the school hosts its eight-team tournament Friday and Saturday.
“We do have our JV team competing in it as well,” Bannerman said. “It’s nice for them to get some good games in, too. It’s kind of cool, being in Lloyd, we get (entries from) Alberta and Sask.”
It’s already been a busy season for the senior Barons, whose Saskatchewan travels included stops in Weyburn and Prince Albert.
The LCHS senior boys are also hosting their annual tournament — the Hugh Morell Memorial — this Friday and Saturday.
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