Fort McMurray's Holy Trinity Knights win silver at provincial basketball championships

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The Holy Trinity Knights are the second greatest highschool basketball crew in Alberta after taking dwelling silver at provincial championships this previous weekend in Wetaskiwin. The medals additionally finish a season that was marked by solely two losses, regardless of loads of travelling that was required among the many crew.

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Coach Grace Lokole says the crew had robust offensive and defensive types of play coming into the championship. The crew’s success additionally displays how in style basketball is turning into in Fort McMurray, he mentioned.

“It feels good, nevertheless it took a number of onerous work to get to the place we acquired to,” Lokole mentioned in an interview. “It was a fairly profitable season.”

The upset of the 3A Basketball Provincial Championships was when the quantity 7 seed Knights beat the quantity 2 seed Strathcona Christian Academy within the quarter last. Holy Trinity additionally defeated the Camrose Trojans 96-81 in semifinals.

The ultimate recreation regarded like it could be a high-scoring recreation between the Holy Trinity Knights and the Spartans from St. Peter the Apostle in Spruce Grove. Sadly for Holy Trinity, the Spartans received with a dominant 103-41 win. The win marks the third provincial championship in eight years for St. Peter the Apostle.

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David Chijioke, who was a part of the crew, mentioned St. Peter the Apostle was the toughest crew they competed in opposition to. He additionally believes the Knights would have received gold if the crew was capable of follow extra this 12 months. Nevertheless, he remains to be pleased with how the Knights carried out.

“All of the groups have been very expert and very well coached. We got here out taking part in onerous. We simply got here out and performed our hearts out,” mentioned David Chijioke, who was a part of the crew. “We performed very effectively as a crew. Everybody was energetic on the bench. We have been one large household.”

Lokole mentioned Knights repeatedly journey to compete in opposition to different groups in different cities and small communities. Due to Fort McMurray’s location, this might imply as much as eight hours that could possibly be spent practising go in the direction of journey.

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Most of the teammates compete with and in opposition to one another in native golf equipment, reminiscent of Fort McMurray’s Northern Trailblazers Basketball. Lokole can be the director of that group. Two members additionally helped Crew Alberta win silver on the Arctic Winter Video games.

“We’re actually beginning to see the exercises being put in, and we’re seeing the outcomes after we journey and play totally different groups from all around the province,” mentioned Lokole. “We compete very effectively with any crew from all around the province now and that wasn’t all the time the case.”

Chijioke mentioned he also can see basketball gaining popularity amongst his friends.

“Fort McMurray is getting much more consideration. Extra gamers are making Crew Alberta, extra individuals are making large accomplishments in basketball,” he mentioned. “Basketball is simply turning into lots higher through the years.”

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-with recordsdata from Christina Max

[email protected]