The bad news is, the Cochrane High School Cobras varsity boy’s basketball team is not going to provincials.
The good news is, the Cochrane High School Cobras varsity boy’s basketball team is not going to provincials.
Bumped from provincial play by Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association South Central Zone 3A boy’s hoops hosts Holy Trinity Academy Knights of Okotoks, the Cobras had to settle for bronze on March 14. But they won’t have to make the seven-hour, 769-kilometre drive to Fort McMurray, this year’s varsity 3A boy’s provincial high school basketball host. The added silver lining for Cobras, unlike 2015 South Central Zone provincial qualifiers Chestermere and HTA, four of Cobras’ starting five return next season. Cochrane High’s table is set for a robust run in 2016.
“We’re going to expect a lot out of these guys next year, because they are coming back for another year,” said Cobras varsity boy’s basketball co-coach Kris Nielson following his team’s 79-57 loss to No. 3-ranked Knights in the provincial back-door qualifier. No. 1-ranked Chestermere advanced as Zone champs.
Knights were Cochrane’s kryptonite at Zones, jousting them from the front side of the bracket 83-59 March 13 before finishing the deal 79-57 in the March 14 qualifier. Cochrane couldn’t solve the host’s larger, senior-laden team.
“I think that’s what got to us in the second quarter, when they made the big run again,” said Cobras co-coach Jim Forrest of HTA’s 18-point sprint to the half. “We said in the third quarter, we just have to do the best we can, one possession at a time. We won that quarter by four points. But, when you’re down 25, a four-point gain in a quarter is small consolation. But our kids didn’t fold their tent.”
While struggling on the defensive end of the floor, particularly with Knights draining almost everything they shot, Cobras had to grind through HTA’s stifing defence for every point.
“As far as our offence goes, it’s tough to shoot over a 6-foot-8 guy, as well. So when they have those two guys on the bottom, they’re closing out on us,” Nielson observed.
Lesson learned for next year.
“Most of these guys on their team (Knights) won’t be here next year,” Forrest assessed. “It’s a year of maturity for us. A year of physical strength. A year of growth, hopefully.”
SOUTH CENTRAL ZONE 3A
VARSITY BOY’S SCORES
Cochrane Cobras 91 George Mac (Airdrie) 72
HTA Knights (Okotoks) 83 Cobras 59
Cobras 67 Olds 59
Cobras 69 Springbank 50
HTA Knights 79 Cobras 57 (bronze)
SOUTH CENTRAL ZONE 3A
VARSITY GIRL’S SCORES
Chestermere 77 Bow Valley (Cochrane) 39
Bow Valley 55 Olds 51
Springbank 64 George Mac 45
Bert Church (Airdrie) 51 Springbank 38
Chestermere 54 Springbank 51
