The Cape Breton Highlands Huskies defeated École Beau-Port 59-57 on Sunday to capture the School Sport Nova Scotia Division 3 Highland Region boys basketball banner. Members of the team include, from left: (front) Ezra MacNeil, German Fernandez, Mason Carmichael, Ethan Brown, Lucas Ross; (back) coach Dan Ross, Owen Ross, Zach Deveau, Kohen Chaisson, Jordan LeFort, Carson Ingraham, Aaron Poirier, Darius Stone, Najim Dodd, asst. coach Walter Brett, asst. coach Luke Stepaniak, manager Julia Tompkins.
February 21, 2024
-by Bill Dunphy
Learning to play against pressure led the Cape Breton Highlands Huskies to learn how to press, which in turn helped the team win the Highland Region Division 3 championship on Sunday.
The Huskies defeated Beau-Port 59-57 in a game played at the Arichat school.
“It was unbelievably close throughout,” said Huskies coach Dan Ross. “We were up by two after the first quarter, tied at the half, we were up by 17 in the fourth and they hit five consecutive three-pointers.”
Forcing a team to take outside shots is usually good defence and worked for the Huskies in the end to close out the win.
“The boys putting a press on is fairly new for them. When teams would press us, we had to learn how to compete and we ended up developing a press of our own,” said Ross.
Four players hit double-digits in the win, including three grade 12s: Jordan LeFort with 16; Kohen Chiasson with 12 along with 13 rebounds; and Mason Carmichael with 10.
Grade nine student Ezra MacNeil also turned in a strong game with a 15-point, 11 assist double-double.
Owen Ross also chipped in with six points.
Two semifinal games were played at CBHA on Saturday.
The Huskies advanced to the final with a 63-43 win over the Baddeck Broncos.
Carmichael led the attack with 18 points, followed by LeFort with 16 and MacNeil with 11. Also scoring were Chiasson and Owen Ross with eight each; German Fernandez with 2.
In the other semi, Beau-Port moved on with an 18-point win over the Inverness Rebels.
Division 3 provincials are scheduled for March 1-3 at Hants North.
Ross said Annapolis West beat the Huskies by 20 points earlier in the year.
“It’s different ball, always fast. And it was them that were pressing us. Hopefully we have a better strategy now, and the way we’re playing now, that’s better for us,” he said.
“Against Beau-Port, we had five guys with points and seven with assists, which is as good as points. We also have a deep bench when guys get tired or run into foul trouble. It should be an exciting tournament.”
The Baddeck Broncos girls team earned a berth in provincials following a 41-33 win over the Huskies for the Highland Region Division 3 banner. Both teams advance to provincials in Halifax on March 1-3.
The Division 2 Highland Region finals were scheduled to be played yesterday (Tuesday). The SAERC Saints girls were hosting the Breton Education Centre Bears at 4 p.m. and the SAERC boys were playing the Dalbrae Dragons at 6 p.m.
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