Cyclones Senior Boys Win Record Sixth Straight 4A Provincial Title

A quick start and strong defence has led the Central Cyclones senior boys basketball team to a record sixth straight 4A provincial championship.

The Cyclones dominated the hardwood from start to finish going on to defeat Regina’s Harvest City Reapers 93 - 56.

It was the game, the finish the Cyclones had practiced and prepared for.

“I can’t be happier you know we worked all week in practice on a plan we felt we would be playing Harvest City in the final and the boys just came out and executed it perfectly. I’m so happy for that,” Central Cyclones head coach Kris Temple told MJ Independent.

The Cyclones had been preparing and practicing hard in the week before the HOOPLA tournament.

“When we play well defensively when we are switching streams when we are rotating defensively we are a very hard team to beat. And that’s a lot of what we worked on in practice this week,” Temple said.

The Cyclones have been chasing the goal of a fast start all season and on Saturday they got one.

“And energy wise we’ve been coming out this year starting games very slow and it was the opposite today. We came out hot and we came out playing well defensively. And I knew in the first quarter it was going to be our day,” he said.

Asked what part of the Cyclones play stood out in his he replied the fast start hands down.

“Just the way we came out from the beginning. That was the standout point. We emphasized that getting a good start and making sure our intensity on defence is always there. Because I feel that leads to us getting a lot of transition buckets offensively so we did a great job at that today and be so proud of these boys.”

Asked about how he felt winning the championship given all of the work he said it was great and more.

“It always feels great when you get to hoist a trophy regardless of what you do. Getting to spend so much time with these young men is something else that’s pretty cool as well. So you grow a bond with them as well. You can’t be happier for them because they worked their butts off all year. I feel like this was a goal and when you receive the goal you can’t be any happier,” Temple said.

The game may be basketball but there is more to it.

“It’s not just basketball it’s everything. You talk to these kids all of the time and you are hopefully teaching them some life skills you know one being dedication and hard work and working as a team to achieve a goal.”

He agreed it also helps build better characters for the players.

It was a tough day for the Reapers but despite the loss there was good points to be found says the Harvest City Christian Academy Reapers head coach Atlee Simon.

“I’m obviously disappointed. Obviously coming into our gold medal year you want to come away with it. We just didn’t have a lot of pop today. I don’t know what it was. We just lacked the desire a little bit and struggled through the ball and Central is an amazing team,” Simon said.

Getting to the gold medal final at HOOPLA is a lot of work.

“We put in everything. At the end of the day we’re working all year to be in this game. So it’s disappointing to come up with this ending.”

The team learnt lessons throughout the season.

“(We learnt) about the journey that a basketball season is. The ups and downs of the year but just being able to reach this level of a game. Obviously coming up short but I’m just really proud of the effort the kids gave. It’s a pleasure to be a coach and see that growth,” Simon said.

In many ways Harvest City is punching above its weight he said, adding there was a silver medal lining for the Reapers.

“We’re coming away with a silver medal and we’re a 2A school playing in a 4A division level. Again you always want to win but you always want to find the little (riches) along the way,” he said.

The coach said being on the team was more than simply basketball.

“For me coaching is a ministry. I try to build young men and not just basketball players. I try to do that every time I coach,” he said.