The girls Dynos basketball team, a combination made up of Drumheller Valley Secondary School and St. Anthony’s School students, came home on Sunday as champions.
The Dynos travelled to Strathmore to participate in another tournament where the most points earned determined the victor, rather than a traditional tournament.
“The girls played really well,” said head coach Ryan Hatch. “They really stepped up.”
Aside from the tournament, the Dynos have had two regular season games. The first was against the Prairie Christian Academy Sabres on February 8, where the girls suffered a defeat in overtime.
The Dynos fell behind early in the game, but with a herculean effort, they managed to battle their way to a tie by the end of the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the Sabres didn’t let themselves be rattled and took the win in overtime.
A week later, on February 15, the Dynos were back at home facing the first place Acme Redmen.
The Redmen took the lead early into the game, leaving the Dynos to try and catch up.
At the end of the first half, the Dynos were down by a six points, but the Redmen put on heavy pressure in the third quarter and took a 17 point lead. The Dynos mounted a huge comeback effort and shrunk the lead to nine by the end of the third.
In the fourth, the Redmen renewed their efforts. The Dynos lost the game 64-43.
“They’re the best team in the league and I thought we were right with them. We weren’t outmanned and it wasn’t dominated by them,” said Hatch. “There were some open baskets we missed and there’s some things we can work on.”
The Dynos had some difficulty with interceptions and ball control, which lead to Redmen points.
The performance of Bailey Faubion stood out due to her aggressive play, stealing the ball when she could and driving hard to the Redmen net.
“That came from the tournament, she’s been pushing herself hard, realized that she can drive the ball to the hoop, and opened up opportunities,” said Hatch.
The Dynos get a break next week due to Family Day and Teacher’s Convention. The team will be back in action for their last regular season game on February 27 at home, taking on Three Hills.
“They played a tough team and they’re willing to fight,” said Hatch. “Every night they give it everything, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
