Early in the season, many observers knew the Cochrane High School Cobras junior-varsity boys basketball team was championship-grade. So when the Cobras defeated Airdrie’s Bert Church Chargers 67-47 for the Rocky View Sports Association JV boys hoops title March 8 in Springbank, many were saying “told you so.”
Not Cobras head coach Jim Forrest.
It’s not his job to be a know-it-all. It’s his job to coach the Cobras to victory.
“We’ve been probably the best team in the league all year,” he offered following his team’s win at Springbank Community High School, where the March 8 RVSA gold-medal games were held. “But, with kids this age and in a one-game situation, you never know.”
His players seemed pretty certain. Right from the opening tipoff, the Cobras ran the floor like they have all season, with point guard Ethan Forrest driving the ball into the paint and feeding perimeter shooters Eric Shatosky and Jake McLellan, or dishing inside to Grade 10 centre Justin Sambu.
Sambu was money underneath, owning the boards at both ends of the floor.
“I’ve been working out and working hard, and I’m starting to understand the game more,” the 15-year-old said following the game. The Cobras ran up an early lead and were in control throughout, leading by 20 points or more in the second half.
The RVSA division win sends Cochrane High’s JV boys straight to the Zone tournament March 14-15 at Foothills Composite in Okotoks.
“The big unknown is Foothills Composite, who’s ranked No. 2. We’re going in ranked No. 1,” coach Forrest said. “They are a mystery in the sense that we haven’t seen them this year. We haven’t played any tournaments in common.
“What we know is they come from the biggest school in their division (Foothills Athletic Council), they’ll have Grade 11s on their team. I told the kids it’s 40 minutes next week. And it’s at Foothills, so they’re at home.”
Like his coach, Cobras outside shooter/wing Spencer Marchand is taking a cautious approach, particularly when it comes to Foothills.
“We haven’t seen them this year, we don’t really know,” Marchand, 16, said of the tournament hosts.
When asked how they will prepare, Sambu replied: “Practise hard, get better, and do what we do.”
The Alberta Schools’ Association South Central Zone junior-varsity boys tips-off March 14 at Foothills Composite in Okotoks.
