The Holy Heart Highlanders’ boys team and the girls’ St. Kevin’s Mavericks squad both kept their unbeaten records intact over the weekend, sweeping the Hall of Fame Cup high school basketball titles at the Provincial Recreation Centre in St. John’s.
Both the Highlanders and Mavericks entered the tournament as the top seeds.
The tournament, organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association, involved the top ranked eight male and female high school teams in the province.
Holy Heart won the boys’ title with a 92-65 win over the Gonzaga Vikings Sunday morning with tournament MVP Liam Chislett scoring 24 points for Holy Heart. Hunter Ryan netted 23 in a losing cause.
The Highlanders extended their record to 16-0 in high school play this season. Holy Heart also plays in the St. John’s men’s division I league, and earlier this season went 1-2 at the Sun Youth tournament in Montreal.
Heart is no doubt the favourite entering the provincial 4A tournament, which Gonzaga is hosting to March 23-24.
The Mavericks made it 18-0 in high school girls’ play, stopping Holy Heart 64-57 Sunday morning.
Earlier this season, the Mavs went 2-2 in the Eastern Canadian Classic tournament in Wolfville, N.S.
St. Kevin’s is playing host to the 4As March 16-17.
Grace Bennett, who has committed to Memorial University, led the Mavericks with 24 points in the final. Carly Stephenson had 15 in a losing cause.
In boys’ semifinal play, Heart beat Waterford Valley Warriors 92-77 on Chislett’s 21 points. Nick Tuff drained 37 in a losing cause. The Vikings beat O’Donel Patriots 83-70 in the other semifinal, with Jacob Ryan scoring 20 points for the winners. Matt Pennell netted 31 for the losers.
The tournament all-star team was comprised of Ryan, Pennell, Kyle Yetman (Waterford Valley), Nick Luther (Gonzaga) and Nick Fowler (Holy Heart).
In the girls’ tournament semifinal play, Emma Power, the tournament MVP, scored 32 points as St. Kevin’s beat Holy Trinity Tigers 75-58. Hannah Green had 25 in a losing cause. The Highlanders beat Waterford Valley 80-69 behind Laura Quigley’s 25 points. Rebecca Tobin netted 25 for the Warriors.
The all-star team consisted of Green, Bennett, Stevenson, Alyssa Jenkins of Waterford Valley and Erin Long of Holy Heart.
Twitter: @telysports
