Heritage Park Secondary School’s senior girls basketball team went 2-2 at the provincials last weekend, finishing 11th after the highly competitive tournament.
The Highlanders’ record see-sawed across the four games, losing one, then winning the next in a repeating pattern.
The first game against Argyle was a rude introduction for some of the junior players to the provincials as HPSS lost by 19 points.
“We just lost our minds,” said coach Frank Chan. “We had an abundance of turnovers.”
Regular standout player Erin Chambers was named player of the game.
The Mission girls next faced the consistently gritty Terry Fox Ravens, and managed to edge them 49-46 for the win, helped in no small part by the team’s nearly 50 per cent record of shooting from three-point land. Cassie Micona earned player of the game in this contest.
The Highlanders were keeping pace with Elgin Park in their third game, but according to Chan with four minutes left, “we just stopped making shots.”
Chambers scored 35 points while Mackenzie Fowler snagged 10.
The final game for Heritage saw them up against Spectrum, and Chan said several girls made exceptional efforts to help them win 57-44, against the bigger team.
Chamber tallied 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Micona earned 21 points and seven rebounds.
Kim Grewal came off the bench “and worked her tail off” all over the court, said Chan, providing rebounds and playing good defense.
Despite not making it to the finals, Chan was pleased with his team’s performance.
“Most of the year we were ranked 16th so 11th is a step up,” he said. “The kids worked extra hard to get where we are.”
He singled out Meagan Stachnik who made significant contributions while other teammates were injured, nailing big shots and pushing hard on defense when asked. “She really stepped it up.”
Chambers, who will play as a provincial all-star, was also specifically credited by the coach.
“She was the key cog in what we did. We wouldn’t be where we are without her,” said Chan.