The Lindsay Thurber senior girls’ basketball team proved they’re one of the best teams in the province on Thursday winning their second straight 4A central zone championship.
Thurber claimed the title in dominant fashion blowing out the Notre Dame Cougars 95-45 at Notre Dame High School.
Head coach Kathy Lalor said as a group they’re playing their best basketball.
“We’re sharing the ball, we’re being really good teammates, and taking good shots,” she said.
“We’re playing the best we’ve played in a long time and it’s just awesome. Everybody is contributing so it’s fantastic.”
The Raiders were led by four players who had double-digit scoring nights. McKinley Penninga led the way with 18 points followed by Madelyn DeZutter with 15 points. Meanwhile, Jorgia Hicks and Adara Gyori both contributed 14 points each.
Cougars’ Ella Black also had a productive night offensively notching 14 points in the effort.
Lalor explained this team has the competitive nature to win, many of whom won the 4A central zone in volleyball earlier in the school year.
“One thing I really love about this group is they’re very accepting. We have eight returning players and that helps but we have four new players and they’ve taken them into the fold,” she said.
“That’s really important and I think this team is a true team.”
This season the Raiders had eight returning players and five of them are in their senior year. Lalor explained their experience is a huge asset.
“Every night it seems to be somebody else who steps up and takes the lead… We have so many leaders and to me, that’s one of the reasons that this team does so well. If somebody’s not having the best game someone else steps up and takes over,” she added.
Their starting five she said does a great job of setting the tone early but also have players coming off the bench who often are their best players.
Currently ranked sixth among 4A teams in Alberta, the Raiders will head to the Alberta Schools Athletic Conference 4A Basketball Provincial Championships in Edmonton From March 16-18.
Among the five teams ahead of them in the rankings, Lalor said they beat one of them but lost a few close games to the others.
“We’re better prepared for all of those games now. We’re actually pretty excited to be going,” Lalor said.
“We’ve kind of been working on tuning up the last couple of weeks… we’ve really worked hard this year so when we play a team we’re pretty prepared.”
The Thurber senior boys also won game two of the 4A central zone finals defeating the Lacombe Rams 73-56 in Lacombe. Since the Rams were victorious in the first game, the two teams will play a winner takes all game three at Lindsay Thurber High School on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
