One could sense the shift in momentum with every passing minute of the NOSSA Senior Girls “A” Basketball final Saturday night at E.S.C. l’Horizon.
By the time overtime arrived, it was all but “fait accomplit” for the visitors from North Bay.
Spotting the Horizon Aigles a 12-2 first quarter lead right out of the gates, the Algonquin Barons gradually chipped away at the advantage the homeside would hold, securing a fourth quarter lead and setting the stage for a frantic finish that required an additional five minute session to settle matters, once and for all.
Sparked by the likes of Vanessa Zwolak, Hannah Rutledge, Isabelle Bérubé, Eve Beaudry and Haleigh Hotte, the Barons gradually chipped away at the lead, trailing 17-9 at the end of the first quarter and 25-19 at the half.
“We started a bit rocky at first, but then we came together,” noted Zwolak, the inside presence who recorded all but two of Algonquin’s 19 first half points and finished the contest with 22 as the Barons’ offensive balance was on much greater display in quarter four and the OT session.
“We had to slow things down,” Zwolak added. “We have a great coach (Mat Sneddon) and he always reminds us: don’t get too high, don’t get too low. We have to stay neutral and try and think that it’s 0-0, all the time.”
The Aigles countered with the trio of Sophie Montgomery (14), Arianne Lamontagne (12) and Abby Lavigne (9) leading the attack as Horizon struggled from the free throw line at critical junctures, with Algonquin shooting at a much better percentage from the charity stripe.
Regardless, the Barons were not about to take the SDSSAA silver medal winners lightly, either way.
“Their three-point shooting is really good and they like to drive, so there’s that equal balance that forces us to stay on our toes,” said Zwolak.
As for the shift in focus on the offensive end, the 17 year-old multi-sport talent (volleyball and track & field, most notably) stated that it was simply a matter of time until Horizon would shut her down – or try their best to do so.
“If you keep dishing to just one person, they’ll adjust,” she said. “You have to use the whole team so that we can all come together.”
The Barons will also “all leave together”, heading to the OFSAA “A” Girls Basketball Championships in Kitchener this week.
They will be joined by NOSSA entries from Sault Ste Marie (St Mary’s Knights – OFSAA “AA” in North Bay – West Ferris Trojans there as host team) and Sudbury (Lo-Ellen Park Knights – OFSAA “AAA” in Brampton) after St Mary’s bested Lo-Ellen in the Soo, 47-34.
That said, with wins over Korah Collegiate (39-34), West Ferris (46-35) and St Joseph Scollard Hall (44-35), it’s clear that a very young Lo-Ellen team has progressed, to a city championship and beyond.
“We lost our entire starting lineup from last year,” noted 15 year old team captain Tiana Thai. “I am so proud of our grade tens and Gia (Rocca – grade nine) who all really stepped up.”
Despite her youth, Thai has tackled the role of captain with the grounded perspective of a young woman who is wise beyond her years, learning from those who have travelled this path before her.
“I definitely try and keep the team positive – and I kind of get to teach them a little bit of what I learned last year, especially from the girls who graduated,” said Thai. More than anything else, it is the on-court development of this crew that has the senior year senior most excited as they head in for what is expected to be a learning experience at OFSAA.
“Our transition game is definitely improved – that’s something we worked on a lot in practice,” noted Thai. “And our ball movement is much better, getting an open shot. At the beginning of the year, when everyone was still getting to know each other, we did things more individually.”
“Now we know everyone’s strengths and are passing the ball a lot more.”
In other NOSSA basketball action, the Horizon junior surged to a 16-3 first quarter lead but held on at the end, trimming the Central Algoma Huskies 32-31 in the NOSSA “A” encounter.
