Fort McMurray's Holy Trinity Knights win silver at provincial basketball championships

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The Holy Trinity Knights are the second finest highschool basketball group in Alberta after taking house silver at provincial championships this previous weekend in Wetaskiwin. The medals additionally finish a season that was marked by solely two losses, regardless of loads of travelling that was required among the many group.

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Coach Grace Lokole says the group had robust offensive and defensive kinds of play coming into the championship. The group’s success additionally displays how in style basketball is changing into in Fort McMurray, he mentioned.

“It feels good, however it took a number of exhausting work to get to the place we received to,” Lokole mentioned in an interview. “It was a fairly profitable season.”

The upset of the 3A Basketball Provincial Championships was when the quantity 7 seed Knights beat the quantity 2 seed Strathcona Christian Academy within the quarter closing. Holy Trinity additionally defeated the Camrose Trojans 96-81 in semifinals.

The ultimate recreation regarded like it could be a high-scoring recreation between the Holy Trinity Knights and the Spartans from St. Peter the Apostle in Spruce Grove. Sadly for Holy Trinity, the Spartans received with a dominant 103-41 win. The win marks the third provincial championship in eight years for St. Peter the Apostle.

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David Chijioke, who was a part of the group, mentioned St. Peter the Apostle was the toughest group they competed towards. He additionally believes the Knights would have received gold if the group was in a position to follow extra this 12 months. Nevertheless, he continues to be happy with how the Knights carried out.

“All of the groups have been very expert and very well coached. We got here out enjoying exhausting. We simply got here out and performed our hearts out,” mentioned David Chijioke, who was a part of the group. “We performed very nicely as a group. Everybody was energetic on the bench. We have been one massive household.”

Lokole mentioned Knights frequently journey to compete towards different groups in different cities and small communities. Due to Fort McMurray’s location, this might imply as much as eight hours that may very well be spent training go in direction of journey.

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Lots of the teammates compete with and towards one another in native golf equipment, corresponding to Fort McMurray’s Northern Trailblazers Basketball. Lokole can also be the director of that group. Two members additionally helped Workforce Alberta win silver on the Arctic Winter Video games.

“We’re actually beginning to see the exercises being put in, and we’re seeing the outcomes once we journey and play completely different groups from all around the province,” mentioned Lokole. “We compete very nicely with any group from all around the province now and that wasn’t at all times the case.”

Chijioke mentioned he can even see basketball rising in popularity amongst his friends.

“Fort McMurray is getting much more consideration. Extra gamers are making Workforce Alberta, extra individuals are making massive accomplishments in basketball,” he mentioned. “Basketball is simply changing into loads higher over time.”

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-with information from Christina Max

[email protected]