The St. Anthony’s Sabres hit their stride, beating the number four-ranked team in the province at the 1A level, and taking home third place at a tournament in Forestburg.
The Sabres having a strong season with a tightly knit team. Last weekend they headed north to Forestburg for a 12-team tournament.
The Sabres first went head-to-head with Sedgwick and quickly jumped out to a first quarter lead. They never looked back and every player made it on to the court contributing to the win 73-62. Tanner Borowicz had 24 points and 22 rebounds, Nathan Comstock and Travis Dietrich each had 16 points. Jakub St. Jean was an effective floor general with 13 points and seven assists.
This put them up against Bashaw for their second game Friday night. The game was in a smaller gymnasium and Bashaw had some size to clog up the Sabres’ inside attack. This opened up floor for St. Jean, who exploded for his season high 30 points. Borowicz had 26 points as they went on to a 72-63 win.
The Sabres faced the home team in the semifinal and were in for a battle. Forestburg led most of the game. The Sabres pulled them in with a strong fourth quarter and led for a spell, but an unlikely shot late in the game put Forestburg up and they defeated the Sabres 54-50. Borowicz again led the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Comstock had 16 points and seven boards.
This put them in the third place game versus Daysland. A defensive effort closing off the baseline and backdoor cuts nullified the Daysland offense and they were able to take over the game. A balanced offensive effort by the Sabres saw Borowicz score 17, St. Jean had 16 point and Dietrich had 10. The Sabres went on to a 57-48 win.
Coach Dan Patterson said what has set this team apart was the strong leadership by their key veteran players. This has allowed payers to develop their skills and support each other.
“Having good communication and everyone on the same page, makes the game and the year go a lot smoother,” said Patterson.
There is basketball action at St. Anthony’s this Monday as the school hosts the Christ the Redeemer School Division Grade 7-8 girls divisional tournament. This will include teams from all over the school division. The Saints will be on the court at 8:30 a.m. The final is at 4 p.m.
