Despite Final Game Whipping Vikings Happy With Season

Despite being a forgone conclusion everybody and even their dog showed up to cheer at the semi-final game between the Central Cyclones JV boys basketball team and the Vanier Vikings JV boys on Wednesday evening.

Yes at least one well behaved dog was in the stands cheering on the Cyclones - MJ Independent photo

The heavily favoured Cyclones defeated the Vikings 117 to 31 in a game that at times seemed like a Harlem Globetrotters exhibition rather than a serious semi-final matchup.

Despite the less serious moments - which drew a technical foul against Central at one point - Vanier Vikings head coach Richard Adams said the outcome was what was expected.

“They’re the team to beat. They can beat most senior teams in the league. They’re a good team well rounded boys. Yeah this is what we expected,” Adams said.

He went on to call the outcome of the game was what the Vikings had been expecting.

Although they played hard against the Cyclones for the Vikings Monday evening’s game against Lumsden was like winning the league final.

The Vikings had proven to be giant killers in Monday evening’s 48 - 42 victory over the heavily favoured Lumsden Devils to advance to an unlikely appearance in Wednesday evening’s JV boys semi-final.

“Our final was on Monday against Lumsden. For us to have that win is for us is our championship. That was our final. We won the championship in our hearts by beating Lumsden in that quarter final game,” he said.

The victory was part of the team’s steady improvement over the course of the season.

“The boys have been amazing. From where we started to where we got to is amazing.”

The Lumsden game was key for Adams because the Vikings players played with everything they had to earn the close victory. In the previous game between the teams the Devils had won with a 40 point margin.

“They (Lumsden) gave us a good whooping (in the previous game) but we had a game plan. We came out and we executed it with the improvements we made throughout the season.”

He said running the 1 - 2 - 2 trap that the team learnt during the season won the game against Lumsden.

He called the Vikings season from start to finish as “a huge turnaround.”

“When you have other coaches and even referees and other players coming up to me and saying how they witnessed such a development in my boys that’s (incredible,” he said.

Adams also pointed to the Vikings’ coaching staff and the “amazing effort” they put into the team.

Asked about the large contingent of Vanier fans who showed up for a game where a “whipping” was almost a foregone conclusion he said it’s just been a great year with their fans and parents who have been 100 percent supportive.

The Scoresheet

The Central Cyclones will now face the Briercrest Christian Academy Cougars in the JV boys league final.

The Cougars defeated the Assiniboia Rockets 75 - 72 on Wednesday evening.

Date and time is yet to be determined.