Draper Pooyak, of the junior boys Crusaders, drains a layup during tournament action over the weekend at John Paul II Collegiate. (submitted photo/Nate Jurgens)

By Martin Martinson

Homecourt hoops

JPII basketball teams claim gold, silver on home court

Jan 13, 2020 | 5:00 PM

It was an exciting weekend of basketball action at John Paul II Collegiate (JPII) this weekend, as the school’s junior basketball teams hosted their home tournament, with both the boys’ and girls’ junior squads taking home a podium finish.

The junior boys landed gold medal on the tournament, while the girls added a silver in their own right, in front of friends and family alike.

The weekend’s gold medal finish gives the junior boys three straight, and three first place finishes in four tournaments to open the season. Meanwhile, the girls’ silver moves the team’s record to 9-3 on the year.

The boys began their journey with a decisive 65-33 victory over their cross-town rivals from North Battleford Comprehensive High School (NBCHS) in an all-Battlefords duel.

Building on their momentum, the team then continued its run with a 59-43 win over the Humboldt Collegiate as well.

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To seal the victory, the Crusaders played E.S. Laird Middle School from Lloydminster. With the crowd’s enthusiastic backing, JPII topped the Sabres by a 69-33 count, to cement their weekend atop the podium, with another gold medal finish.

Head coach of the junior boys, Nate Jurgens, said perhaps most impressive about the team’s performance this weekend, was their ability to overcome adversity along the way. The Crusaders boys took home the gold despite missing one of their top players, who missed time due to injury.

Jurgens added in addition to the ‘all hands on deck’ buy-in, the key to his team’s success this season at large, has been their communication and sound structure on the defensive side of the ball.

“I think we just play better when we’re vocal,” Jurgens said. “Even on the bench, [the players] have been very vocal in support of their teammates and I think that energizes a team. Defensively as well, they are very tenacious, they are very competitive and keep amping up their defence which has helped us a lot on the offensive end.”

The girls’ silver medal finish came after winning two of their three games on the tournament.

Following a tough 34-28 loss to NBCHS in their opening game, the team bounced back to defeat Humboldt in a dominating display, 64-24 and Melfort, 37-25.

The junior boys will return to action Thursday in Edmonton, while the girls head to Lloydminster Jan. 24 and 25. Both the junior boys and junior girls’ teams will kick off districts on Feb. 10.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1