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Boys jr. & sr. EMCS basketball updates

The EMCS junior boys basketball team started the season with home and away exhibition games vs Pacific Christian. Both were sizeable losses as the Sooke boys worked out some wrinkles. Injuries, and changes in roster numbers forced the team to drop back down to the “B” league and out of the “A” league as had been the plan originally.
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Jim Sinclair photo Sooke’s Chris Shankar vs J. Stubbs.

The EMCS junior boys basketball team started the season with home and away exhibition games vs Pacific Christian.  Both were sizeable losses as the Sooke boys worked out some wrinkles. Injuries, and changes in roster numbers forced the team to drop back down to the “B” league and out of the “A” league as had been the plan originally.

Not to be discouraged, the boys continue to work hard on implementing basic fundamentals into their game. The effort paid off in their first two league games. A lopsided win over John Stubbs and a close loss to Spencer to start the season 1-1.  Point guard Chris Shankar has carried the load on offence with strong defence from post Quinn Yates and forward Tristen Griffin.

Team members are: Dustin Clarke, Ryan Ehman, Chris Shankar, Quinn Yates, Tristen Griffin, Eric Albert, Austin and Brandon Willson, Jordan Stoer, Sean Mckenzie.

The EMCS Sr. boys have not had a great start to their season. Exhibition losses to Glenlyon Norfolk by 58 points,  Victor Brodeur - 1 pt,  Pacific Christian - 12 and 34 pts. As well as an 0-1 start in league play with a loss last Tuesday night to St. Andrews. The sr. Wolverines trailed 40-19 at the half but rebounded in the second when the defence forced turnovers igniting the fast break to outscore st andrews 23-16, yet losing 56-35. 

The weekend saw the senior squad travel to Saltspring for the Nairn Howe tournament. Brady White, Ryan Ehman, and Jason Demoe were placed on the injury reserve for the weekend. Meanwhile Shankar, Yates, and jr. swingman Dustin Clark fill out the roster.  Four games saw Sooke come short of the win column again. Losses came to Cambell River’s Carihi, the Maniland’s Mission Sr. Secondary, host Gulf Islands, and Vancouver’s St. Georges. Player of the Game honors went to sr g/f Kody Mcguinness and Gr. 11s Alex Wright and Ryan Albert.

Friday saw the three point shootout contest. Kody McGuinness and Ryan Albert represented EMCS.  Each was paired with a female from another school and each had one minute to score as many deep bombs as possible. Ryan and his female teammate from Carihi made it out of the first two rounds with top score giving them a berth in the finals. In front of a packed house it took a last-second shot at the buzzer to edge out the Sooke and Campbell River pair. The event was enjoyed by all.

“These games give us a chance to play a lot of ball and get experience and bonding,” stated coach Trevor Bligh.

“We have an eight-man roster. five seniors but only two who have played organized ball before. Brady White, Art Smith, and Tyler Migneault are all working really hard to pick up fundamentals that their opposition has been working on for four to eight years. I am impressed and proud of how these guys have come along and continue to improve every game. Without them there would be no team.” Senior returning guard Kody Mcguinness leads all scorers this year with 11.5 points per game.  While Alex Wright continues to be the on-court leader as well as the utility player able to play all five positions. Courtney Willson has helped on the boards as well as giving the offence an inside threat.  Gr. 11 Ryan Albert has taken on the ball-handling duties as well as providing an outside shooting threat.

League games resume this week with Esquimalt at EMCS having played Tuesday SMU on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at EMCS.

-Trevor Bligh