SB Basketball: Exhibition vs Loyola 2

The change in the academic schedules for Grade 12 (compared to the routine for other grades) meant a number of side effects for the team. The Grade 12s were entering an examination period at the end of their first-term reports. As such, team practices were made optional for them. With their understandable focus on their academics, none of them attended practices during that time. They were also allowed to leave for the holiday once their exams were finished, so we had none of them still around school to take part in the exhibition game.

The practices we did have involved a maximum of 6 or 7 players each day, making it difficult to sharpen our team strategies without having many key rotational players there to take part. We therefore concentrated on basic skills, a number of 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 games (which were competitive and focused) and a 100-shot shooting contest. We entered the game with high hopes that we could give Loyola a game despite our decimated roster.

Our lack of recent game play, a lack of 5-on-5 practice time and new starters and positions (among the 7 players who dressed) meant that we did not look sharp at the beginning of the game. Our first half results were, therefore, unsurprisingly weak. The first two quarters saw the Spartans only able to manage four points per quarter to end the first half with a 17-8 score in Loyola's favour. The only Spartan player of note during that first half was Andrew D. who led with shots, points, free-throw attempts, steals and heady offensive and defensive play.  

The third quarter saw the local side show better play, notably with three 3-point shots (two by Daniel and one by Andrew), plus six points from Bo on 2-for-3 field goal shooting and 2-for-2 free-throw shooting. The score after three quarter was 24-23 for Loyola.

The fourth quarter saw Will supply 3 points, Bo lead with nine points on great percentages, but without a ton of other support, the Spartans lost the fourth quarter 20-16. Final score - LOY 44 - SC 39.

Point leaders on this day were Bo - 17;  Daniel - 8; Andrew - 7; Victor - 4; and Will - 3.

It was fun for me personally to coach against a colleague and friend from our university days as Loyola's coach, John Geraghty and I studied PE at McGill and graduated in the same class many years ago. It was great to play them and to have a dinner together with our players and his team before they returned to Montreal.

Going forward, many more league games and tournaments arrive in January - including a week in mid-January where our schedule is beyond belief. We have only one game between the 10th and the 21st of January. From the 22nd to the 27th, however, we play up to 8 games in six days - one each day on Mon-Tue-Wed-Thu....plus two-per-day on Fri and Sat during the BCS Tournament! The start of 2024 looks very busy for the Spartans!  

Coach Simard