Bulldogs aim to carry on legacy

For the first time in the history of the BPSN Girls Basketball Tournament, the Sir Winston Churchill aren’t the top dogs to open the event.

The three-time defending champions are seeded second behind the Notre Dame Fighting Irish but that doesn’t mean the Churchill is going to give up the golden ball trophy without a hell of a fight. They opened the tournament Tuesday with a 83-31 win over the Holy Cross Raiders.

“A lot of teams want to beat us and it’s good for the girls to not be the No. 1 seed because now they know we have to get to the top off the mountain. We talked about it before the game that we have to win today, prepare for tomorrow and we will go from there,” Churchill head coach Frank Keltos said. “Every day it’s another game and that’s all we can do. We want to try and get to Friday and you never know what will happen.”

Churchill player Syd Jones feels the BPSN tournament is an important part of the Bulldogs’ season.

“Even last year when we had Kate (Smyth), everyone was saying that we had to win this. Losing them (last year’s players) was insane and we miss them a bunch on the court. But we have these new girls now and we are hoping that we can carry on that legacy and what they built up for us. We want to keep reaping the benefits.”

The Bulldogs started their long run of excellence by winning the consolation title at the former Standard tournament, then won a few Standard championship crowns before rolling on in the BPSN event.

The reason for the success is simple.

“We have a great group of kids, they buy into what I am selling, we have fun and they play hard for me,” Keltos said. “At the end of the day, we hit timely shots, get defensive stops and the non-basketball players who don’t play outside of school are great athletes. We have great athletes at Churchill and somehow we try and match our basketball players with athletes to turn out good teams.”

Jones has become a key component of this year’s good team.

“She has been playing for me for four years and she is one of the senior leaders,” Keltos said. “She does all the little things. She goes to the right spots, she makes the inside shot, she will rebound, she boxes out and she did all that today. She had a real good overall game.”

Jones has enjoyed being a part of the Bulldogs’ impressive run.

“I think it is the coaching and the girls wanting to be here and doing this,” the Pelham Panthers travel player said. “As a Grade 9, I remember watching the seniors play, like Brookelyn (Keltos), Yemi (Oladipo) and Meagan Barker too, and I was in awe of them watching them play. They were incredible. Watching them as we grew up and winning all those games, they built a reputation for us so we have to keep that up and work hard.”

Jones describes herself as a silent leader.

“I make sure all the girls are OK, that they are doing their best and feeling their best and that they feel that they can talk to me when they need anything,” the 17-year-old St. Catharines resident said. “I am just here to support them in whatever they are doing.”

As a player, she is a Syd-of-all-trades.

“I am here to support everyone and make sure they are getting shots and that they are all ready to go and play their best.”

Holy Cross played their hearts out for the entire game but the size, skill and athleticism of Churchill was just too much for the Raiders.

“I think they are trying their hardest and we have a few good shooters on the team but we really lack in size which hurts,” Holy Cross head coach Austin Anderson said. “We can’t compete with a team that is tall, athletic and good at basketball.”

Anderson is coaching a varsity team at Holy Cross.

“We are a little younger than usual and two of our starters haven’t played basketball before at the high school level so we have kind of a makeshift team this year.”

STATS PACK

Bulldogs 83 Raiders 31

Cat’s Caboose Player of the Game: Churchill’s Sid Jones with 11 points and a strong game at both ends of the floor.

For the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs: Addison Torigian 22; Norah Hoff 12; Syd Jones 11; Marlowe Zekan 10; Anya Namestnik 7; Shannen Short 6; Morgan Barker 4; Kayleigh DiGirolamo 4; Kiera Pink 3; Mya Gaudreault 2.

For the Holy Cross Raiders: Leah Briscall 11; Grace Vani 9; Claire Martires 9; Sara De Reparaz Pindado 2.

The tournament is made possible with the help of Women Networking in Sports of Niagara, Tora Inc., Ridley College, Alltech Automotive, St. Catharines CYO Basketball, Pelham Panthers basketball, Niagara Falls Red Raiders basketball, the Niagara District Referees Association, the District School Board of Niagara and the Niagara Catholic District School Board.