The stars have aligned for an all-Westman semifinal at the Provincial ‘AAA’ Girls’ High School Basketball Championship.
Paige Thomson had a double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds as the Spartans knocked off the Westgate Wings 71-57 while top-ranked Virden Golden Bears dominated the host Swan Valley Tigers 90-22 in Thursday’s quarter-finals.
"We’ve got to be very efficient. We have to be efficient offensively and really do a good job of valuing the basketball. If we can do that and keep the game close down the stretch you never know what might happen, that’s why they call it March Madness," Neelin coach Don Thomson told CKLQ’s Tyler Crayston.
On the boys’ side, the Spartans got 32 points from Quinton Hunter and defeated the Hapnot Kopper Kings 79-50 to secure their spot in the semifinal against the #1 seeded Westgate Wings.
"I think the one thing that’s really worked in our favour I think this year is both teams have played extremely competitive schedules coming into the provincials," said Thomson. "We understand what we have to do, it’s just a matter of going out and executing it."
Meanwhile, the two-time defending champion Boissevain Broncos and Souris Sabres are into the semifinals at the ‘AA’ girls’ tournament while Boissevain also moved into the semis on the boys’ side.
At the ‘A’ girls’ playdowns, the top-seeded and two-time defending champion Hamiota Huskies advanced to the semifinals along with the Glenboro Panthers and Grandview Spartans while top-ranked Glenboro was the lone Westman team to reach the semis on the boys’ side.
