Holy Cross Crusaders Score Pair Of 5A HOOPLA Victories

It was a big night for Saskatoon’s Holy Cross as both their 5A senior boys and senior girls high school basketball teams kicked off HOOPLA with victories on Thursday evening.

HOOPLA is the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association (SHSAA) provincial basketball championships and is in Moose Jaw Thursday - Saturday.

Thursday evening saw eight 5A playoff games played in four venues around the city.

BOYS GAME

Holy Cross 82 - North Battleford Comp 57

Holy Cross Crusaders’ Lucian Tyson (left) guards against North Battleford Vikings’ Emery Paskemin-Bear - MJ independent photo

The Crusaders managed to defeat the Vikings in a game that saw Saskatoon bust out after the first three minutes of the game and not look back.

The Vikings did their best to keep up with the number one seeded Crusaders but in the third quarter and fourth quarters it was evident North Battleford was tired.

The Crusaders managed to escape foul problems at a time where the momentum may have shifted to the Vikings and given them any chance of a comeback victory.

The score after the first quarter was Crusaders 33 and the Vikings 10.

The score at halftime was Crusaders 49 and the Vikings 25.

After thirty minutes of play the score at the end of the third quarter was Crusaders 73 and the Vikings 38.

The final score was Crusaders 82 and the Vikings 57.

Top Scorers

Holy Cross

Raphael Mutongolo - 10 points

Daniel Solarin - 8 points

Sun Tyson - 8 points

Top Scorers

North Battleford Comprehensive

Rhett Cawood - 22 points

Jacob Bjerkness - 11 points

The Scoresheet

GIRLS’ GAME

Holy Cross 58 - Winston Knoll 47

A battle for the ball - MJ Independent photo

The Holy Cross Crusaders senior girls team was up against some strong competition from Regina’s Winston Knoll Wolverines.

The Wolverines at time trailed by 14 points during the game but in the last half of the fourth quarter they had momentum and came within five points of the Crusaders.

But a three pointer by Sienna Taylor with 1:15 left in the game threw water on the fire the Wolverines had been simmering for about four minutes.