The district champion junior boys and junior girls teams from JPII pose together for a picture in the school gymnasium. (Submitted photo/Nate Jurgens)

By Martin Martinson

Top of the Podium

Gold rush: JPII junior boys, junior girls, cap season as repeat champions

Feb 13, 2020 | 2:37 PM

There must be something in the water at John Paul II Collegiate (JPII), as both the junior boys and junior girls basketball teams capped their respective seasons with tandem gold medals at the Battlewest District Championships this week.

The victory marks the third straight district title for the junior boys, and second consecutive for the junior girls.

The junior boys defeated Kerrobert and Unity on their way to the championship in their home gym at JPII, while the girls topped Unity and North Battleford Comprehensive High School (NBCHS) to close the season as champions across town at NBCHS.

The JPII junior boys’ championship served as the team’s third in as many years, as the winning tradition continued on home court at the local high school. (Submitted photo/Nate Jurgens)

The win caps a dominant season for the Crusaders boys, who finish the year 18-3, with five tournament gold medals.

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Head coach of the boys, Nate Jurgens, said it was the team’s ability to work together as a cohesive unit to set the team up to find success.

“The biggest thing for us is communication and teamwork,” Jurgens said. “If we work together, we are really hard to stop, and there is such a good group of players that want to get better and they want to work together, so for them [it paid off] this year.”

While the junior boys’ victories came by 52 points and 24 points respectively, the junior girls’ road to their second championship in as many years came with an added element of drama in the district final.

The JPII junior girls took their second district title in as many years in dramatic fashion this week, with an overtime victory over NBCHS in their final game. (submitted photo/Kristina Binette)

Playing the host Vikings in the gold medal final at NBCHS, the Crusaders’ clinched their victory in overtime, 38-35.

Junior girls’ Head Coach, Kristina Binette said she was proud of what her team was able to accomplish, adding that the group’s determination and ability to focus on the process played a pivotal role in paving the way to another district title.

“It was a lot of fun,” Binette said, reflecting on the season. “[The district final] was just another game for the girls – that’s how we approached it – but the girls really worked hard and they had a lot of fun and it was just nice to see the effort put in and to have that be rewarded.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1