Lady Spartans pick up first tourney title of the season

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

It’s amazing what a full and healthy lineup is able to accomplish.
After picking up silver last weekend, the Strathmore High School senior Spartans girls basketball team captured the Forest Lawn tournament in Calgary last weekend.
“We had a lot of convincing wins on the weekend,” said Spartans Head Coach Kyle Larson. “It was great to have the luxury of a full roster and be able to get the right bodies on the floor at the right time.”
In the final, the Lester B. Pearson High School Patriots were thumped 65-49.
The Patriots came out hot and led 8-2, but a quick heat check by Kaylin Larson cooled off the Pats. Kaylin drilled three straight 3s on the way to her 20 points, as the tournament MVP Allie Davidson led the way with 23.
In the semis, the Spartans trimmed the Bishop McNally High School Timberwolves 55-47, powered by Sydney Boyd’s 15 points and Davidson’s 10.
The Spartans opened up the tourney with a 63-46 victory over the Nelson Mandela High School. Davidson again led the way with 20, while Natalie Funk turned in 13 points.
The Spartans will be off this weekend as they prepare to host their annual tournament, which begins Feb. 16.
Spartans lose at buzzer
The senior boys were active last week as well, but went 1-3 despite playing some exceptional basketball at the Super South tournament in Medicine Hat.
The Spartans were on the wrong end of one of the most unlikely losses this season when they fell 81-80 Feb. 3 in overtime to the Albert E. Peacock Collegiate Tornados.
Trailing by 16 with four minutes left, the Spartans were able to force overtime after Ryan Edwards knocked down all three free throw attempts after getting fouled.
In the extra frame, the Spartans led by one when Kevin Agboro was sent to the charity stripe. Hitting the first one, he air-balled his second shot, which allowed the Tornados to inbound the ball from the sidelines with 3.5 seconds left. According to Head Coach Matt Laslo, the Tornadoes inbounded the ball to a kid that hadn’t scored before, he turned and fired, knocking down a 40-footer at the buzzer.
“I knew as soon as it left his hand that it was good,” said Laslo. “The line was perfect and it looked great out of his hand. Tough way to lose, but it was an incredible shot.”
The Spartans opened the tourney by losing 86-75 Feb. 1 to the Monsignor McCoy High School Colts.
The following day the Spartans were handled 97-78 by the Beaumont Composite High School Bandits, but responded by closing out the weekend with an 80-62 victory Feb. 3 over the Crescent Heights High School Vikings.
This weekend, the Spartans will compete at the George McDougall High School tournament.