The JPII junior boys pictured left to right, Back row: Garson Nolin, Allan Luna, Draper Pooyak, Grady Billingsley, Josh Fransoo, Mathews Antony, Ron Dalida, Head Coach Nate Jurgens. Front Row: Caden Fullerton, Raniel Acaya, Andrei Rita, Brodee Tourand, Paul Tran. (submitted photo/Nate Jurgens)

By Martin Martinson

B-ball brilliance

JPII junior boys snag gold in Melfort

Dec 10, 2019 | 2:00 PM

There was plenty of reason for celebration for the John Paul II Collegiate (JPII) junior boys basketball team over the weekend. The Crusaders took home gold medals in just their second tournament action of the season.

The Crusaders’ boys opened the tournament in Melfort with a dominant performance against St. Brieux, taking an 83-31 victory to set the tone for the weekend.

Building on their hot start out of the gate, JPII then followed up their opening win with an 81-16 thrashing of the Weyburn Comprehensive High School Eagles. The impressive win in their second matchup paved the way for the Crusaders to the gold medal game.

In the final, the team found themselves facing off against the hometown Melfort Comets.

Though the crowd was noisy and the Comets confident, JPII didn’t so much as flinch with the tournament gold on the line. The Crusaders’ boys remained calm, poised and confident, taking the final game 54-31 to top the podium.

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The tournament was just the second of the season for the team. They played in Lloydminster last weekend in a tournament that saw the Crusaders fall by two points in the semifinals to the eventual champions on a buzzer-beating shot.

Head coach of the junior boys, Nate Jurgens said he was proud of the way the team was able to respond following their opening weekend heartbreaker, calling the early-season adversity a good lesson for the team.

“They really responded this weekend,” he said. “The things that we practiced throughout the week are the things that led us to victory this weekend. The players really responded to what we had prepared for and that just shows the character they have.”

Adding to the school’s prowess on the basketball court, the junior girls took home a silver medal in Melfort in their own right, while the senior boys won the consolation side in action in Moose Jaw.

The junior boys will return to action this weekend at North Battleford Comprehensive High School for their final tournament action ahead of the Christmas holidays.

—

Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1