Spartans lose edge, gain experience

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore High School Spartans senior girls basketball team has been very strong this season. Last weekend was not one of their best moments, but will be used as a learning tool moving forward.
The Spartans hit the road for the Panda Classic tournament in Magrath Feb. 10-11.
Tournies have treated the Spartans nicely this year; they won their tournament back in December and captured the bronze in Olds at the end of January.
The Magrath tourney opened in familiar fashion, as the Spartans blasted the Brooks Composite High School Lady Buffalos 62-28.
That’s when things took an unfamiliar turn.
The Raymond High School Comets tuned the Spartans 80-32, and the host Magrath High School Pandas brushed back the Spartans 78-40 in the finale.
“We played some tough teams over the weekend and we learned a lot,” said Spartans head coach Dion Galandy. “It was our first real test this year and we need to execute and play with a little more patience.”
The Spartans returned to Foothills Athletic Council action Feb. 13. Playing in Okotoks, the Holy Trinity Academy Knights clipped the Spartans 74-59 in the second meeting of the season between the two teams.
The Knights edged out the Spartans 65-53 just before the Christmas break.
“We spotted them a 20-point lead. I thought we did a great job trying to come back from that, but it just wasn’t enough,” said Galandy. “I definitely think that some of the things we learned and experienced in the tournament helped us out tonight.”
The Spartans aren’t in action again until Feb. 24 when they hit up another tournament in Eagle Butte.
The Spartans senior boys host their tournament this weekend. Their first game is slated for 2 p.m. Feb. 17 when they host the Canmore Collegiate High School Crusaders.