The Ross L. Gray varsity boys and girls teams captured 18 provincial high school championship banners heading into this basketball season but never had they both won in the same year – until now.

The girls brought home their championship banner from Hamiota last weekend and the boys won theirs in Gladstone.

Ross L. Gray defeated the host Huskies, the Elton Sabres and Grandview Spartans on their way to a third straight “A” varsity girls championship.

"It was really cool to win three in a row because the girls haven't done it at our school," said 5'7'' forward Katelin Thiessen. "The guys have, so this is something we brought to the school, and being my last year it made it a little bit more satisfying too."

The Raiders, who were seeded number two going into the provincials, beat Hamiota 78-37 in the quarterfinals; downed Elton 60-27 in the semifinals and then capped off their perfect weekend with a 65-50 victory over Grandview in the championship game.

"I think our team had probably one of the best weekends we've played together," said Thiessen. "We were very fast. Hamiota specifically, being the home team, we knew it was going to be a loud crowd and probably a little bit of a rough start. We had our pre-provincial jitters we needed to get out but by the end of it we pulled it together. Everybody did great."

It was the third straight year the Raiders and Spartans met in the last game of the season.

"Every time we've played them in the finals, I always feel the nerves really coming on right before the game," Thiessen said. "But by the time we step on the floor, and I think I can speak for everyone in saying this - by the time the ball gets thrown up for tip off, all the nerves just turn into energy."

"We were up by 14 at half," said Thiessen. "Right away they pushed it to a nine point game. Of course that is going to worry you. 14 points is a good place to be in. We just laid on the gas pedal the whole game."

Tianna O'Connor and Cidney Goodman were named to the All-Star team and Thiessen was chosen the MVP.

"I was very honored," said Thiessen on her Most Valuable Player selection. "I was very thankful. I'll always speak for everybody who got me there because it really does take a team for any individual awards. You're only as good as your team ever makes you."

Thiessen, Haleigh Zimmerman, Frances Lerma and Rachel Brown, who will all graduate this June, ended their high school basketball careers with three straight provincial championships.

Two other Raiders, Kayla Fortin and Tianna O'Connor will return for their grade 12 year this fall and they have a chance to four-peat.




Ross L. Gray boys captured their their first “A” varsity championship banner in four years.

Coach Rob Stradeski said it was a great weekend in Gladstone and gave a lot of credit to his graduating players - 6'7'' centre Cyrus O'Connor, 5'8'' guard Quentin Sylvester and 6'6'' guard Kevin Zebrasky.

"My seniors had made the finals the last two years and hadn't quite got over the hump so to finally finish the job was a big deal for them and meant a lot to all of us with the team. My seniors played really, really well and the younger guys stepped up."

The Raiders, who were seeded number one, defeated Duke of Marlborough School from Churchill 88-43 in the quarterfinals; downed the host Warriors 87-47 in the semifinals and then beat the Treherne Tigers 78-55 in the championship game.

"Every time we got to where I thought it was comfortable, Treherne would come back and score six quick points on us and all of a sudden our players would get nervous again," said coach Stradeski. "We put the clamp on it. It took right until the last three or four minutes to make it comfortable."

Stradeski says the experience his returning basketball players got from playing in the provincials and winning a championship banner is so valuable.

"Everyone of those players got on the court in every game so they all got a little bit of a taste. They got to be able to want it back. We're going to graduate a lot of points this year. Probably about 75% of our points are graduating so the younger ones are going to have to step up and play really, really well next year."

Cyrus O'Connor and Kevin Zebrasky were named to the All-Star team and Quentin Sylvester was chosen the MVP.

20 provincial high school basketball championship banners now proudly belong to the Sprague school.

"It's a culture," said coach Stradeski. "It's understood that when they get into high school they are going to be part of the varsity teams, both boys and girls. Everyone of the kids loves the program. If they didn't play basketball it makes for a long, really quiet winter. It gives them something to do in the winter and they all enjoy it. We have grade three teams. The grade three's are practising so by the time they get to high school they've been at it for five or six years."