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BY DAVID LARKIN. The game plan was executed almost to perfection. The only thing the Vincent Massey Vikings forgot was the not-so tiny detail of putting the ball in the hoop. The 12th-ranked Vikings did what they thought they needed to do to upset the No. 5-ranked St. Mary’s Flames, but never got their offence on track while dropping a 51-34 decision in a first-round game of the 4A varsity girls provincial high school basketball championship Friday at Crocus Plains. Coming in, the Vikings knew their challenge would be to handle St. Mary’s zone press and also try to contain 6-foot-4 post Alicia Ogoms on the inside. For the most part they did that, but couldn't find a way to solve the Flames’ defence, which routinely made Massey work hard for all of its looks. “They were prepared for our offence and they've obviously been working for a long time preparing for the game,” Grade 12 post Aimee Johnston said after scoring 10 points in her final high school game. “They were prepared, but I think we were, too. They were definitely prepared for us defensively.” Kristelle Harper also had 10 points for the Vikings, who got into the tournament by way of a wildcard win over Miles Macdonell on Monday. Ogoms finished with 18 points, many coming from second-chance opportunities, an area in which Johnston admits she wishes the Vikings had been better. “Defensively I just wish we had rebounded a little bit more, but I can’t complain because I know the girls were working hard and I know we did a lot better in the second half defensively,” she said. Defensively speaking. Massey had done its part well in the early goings, sitting back in a zone, packing their defence in the key and holding St. Mary’s to just seven points in the first seven minutes. However, the problem was the Vikings themselves had just two points to show for the same time frame. They trailed 30-13 at the half, a deficit created largely by a 13-0 Flames’ run in the first 2:30 of the second. “I think we were a little bit intimidated, they got a few blocks on us early,” Massey coach Jayla Bousquet said. “We got caught standing just trying to let one person do the job. Usually we attack the zone a little bit more, but we were settling for outside shots that weren't falling.” The Vikings stand to return a large chunk of their team from this season, losing Johnston, guard Rebecca Fung and forward Carolyn Helwer to graduation. AND ONE: Massey played without starting PG Jill Giesbrecht. ... The Vikings for a spell dropped into a 1-3 defence — literally putting only four players in the halfcourt defence while letting one player Helwer or Elsabet Horsa stand alone at the other end of the floor in hopes of getting a free layup ... The third-ranked Crocus Plainsmen play their quarter-final tonight at 6 o'clock. ^ clarkins@brandonsun.com Vincent Massey Vikings Kristelle Harper (left) and Karla Juliak box in St. Mary's Flames post Alicia Ogoms in provincial high school basketball action Friday at Crocus Plains. (Colin Corneau/Brandon Sp)
Newspaper Details
Brandon Sun
Brandon, Manitoba, CA
Sat, Mar 12, 2011
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura K.
CA 18 Sep 2026
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