With the Moose Jaw High School Athletic Association senior boys and girls basketball seasons entering the final month of the regular season, one thing has become very apparent.
Whoever gets hot at just the right time will likely come away with their respective league championships, and based on how things played out on Tuesday night, who those teams will be is anybody’s guess.
The Central Cyclones battled to an 81-61 victory over the Peacock Toilers in boys league action, while the Vanier Spirits took a 70-47 win over Peacock and Central defeated Assiniboia 59-25 in girls league play.
The lone boys league game offered another example of how back-and-forth things have been in the early going between the two 3-1 teams, not only in the overall results but within the games themselves.
Central wasted little time getting things going, roaring out to a 20-8 lead in the opening 10 minutes. The Toilers -- who handed the Cyclones their lone loss of the season back on Dec. 13 -- didn’t go quietly, though, outscoring Central 25-21 in the third quarter and 16-14 in the third to head into the final frame trailing by six.
There would be no comeback, though, as the Cyclones poured on the pressure in the fourth quarter and would go on to their 20-point win.
Gerritt Gulutzan led Central with 23 points, while Tommy Vincent put up 20 and Earl Lamsen 17. Kai Houghton was Peacock’s top scorer with 22 points, Mac Simpson had 16 and Nathan McDougall 13.
In girls league action, the Spirits put together one of their best games of the season to hand the Toilers their first loss and move into a tie for first place at 3-1. Vanier only led by a pair after the first quarter, but had extended their edge to 11 by halftime and led by nine heading into the fourth.
Kate Waldenbeger led the Spirits with 21 points, while Waverley Demassi had 19 points and Ava Kindiak added 10. Devlynn McClung continued her solid Grade 10 season with 21 points, while Hannah Miller put up 20 for the Toilers.
The Cyclones win over Assiniboia was their second of the season and saw Central improve to 2-3 while the Rockets fell to 0-4. Ava Nichols put up 16 points to lead the Cyclones, while Molly McLean scored 13 and Addy Simpson added 10. Kayley Beaubien and Jenna Gronsdahl scored seven each for Assiniboia.
Girls league action continues on Wednesday night when Peacock travels to Lumsden, with tip-off at 5:50 p.m.
