The YRHS Sr. Boys basketball team entered 4A Regionals with one task and one task only, get back to Hoopla. After a crushing defeat to Moose Jaw Central in their first return to the tournament since the era that saw all-time Raiders leading scorer and former U of R Cougar center Kris Heshka lead the Raiders to the provincial title, Jason Payne and his boys were looking to get another chance to be one of the four 4A teams to punch their ticket into the big stage. Another year as a four seed would give the Raiders home court advantage, playing 13th seed Humboldt in Round One before playing the winner of Weyburn/Melfort in the Regional Championship on Saturday afternoon.
On Friday night the Raiders showed why they were given one of the valuable top four seeds in the playoffs, dominating a Humboldt team in every facet of the game and making a statement to the Weyburn and Melfort players in a 97 point offensive point performance despite rolling much of their bench and their two call ups from the JV Raiders team in Ryan Krochak and Nick Payne. "It was a good chance for our young players to get some valuable court time at a point of the season where we can't really give everyone playing time some nights, so it was nice to go out to an early lead and see our bench and younger players contribute and do well" said Payne.
The Friday win and Weyburn's victory over Melfort set up the expect four seed against five seed matchup Saturday afternoon as the Raiders were to take on the hard working Weyburn Eagles with Hoopla on the line.
In the final the Raiders got some of the best high school performances out of Daniel Mandziuk as one of the Raiders all time greats and his running mate in Ben Redl showed early that they would prove to be the difference in this game over a hard working Weyburn team that crashed the glass and forced turnovers early and often. The Raiders got the early jump and finished the first quarter up 14-6, but Weyburn fought back with their season on the line, getting as close as within four at various points of the game with the Raiders getting into foul trouble midway through the third. Jake Gabel was required to sub in as the often unused small forward came in and provided four minutes of solid defense and rebounding in place of defensive specialist Tyrell Ulmer and swingman Alex Popoff. Jason Payne praised Gabel's hard work saying, "Jake came in for us as a Grade Twelve when we needed him and played his role and used his fouls well and played the help defense we needed at an important time in the game."
In the fourth the Raiders continued to struggle with foul trouple with two of their key role players as Popoff fouled out and Ulmer had four fouls, but Mandziuk's two dagger three point makes and his will to get to the free throw line provided too much for the Eagles to overcome as David Kauenofhen put in four huge buckets of his own in the fourth quarter to spark a Raiders closing run that sent thyem to Hoopla for the second year.
"We got a great team effort today, especially from our Grade Twelves and everyone played their role today and that was the difference between winning and losing today" said Jason Payne who gave credit to Weyburn for playing a hard fought game in the final. Ben Redl put up another double double for the Raiders in the final and was ecstatic to go back to Hoopla in the final year of his high school career saying, "It was special to get to play two more games at the home gym in Regionals as a host and in your last year you just want to go as far as you possibly can and play one more game so we are all excited to go to Hoopla and take on St.Mary's"
The Raiders will be in for a tough game against Prince Albert as St. Mary's have beaten the Raiders three times this season, but the Regional had a promising result against them just before playoffs started and feel good about their chances against Hoopla's number one seed on Friday afternoon in Saskatoon. "We are ready to play St. Mary's and feel we have a good idea of what we can do to play well against them and had a good meeting with them recently so we feel good about our chances and feel like we can beat anybody" said Payne.
Mandziuk echoed similar sentiments after the Weyburn game saying, "We just have to go out and play our game and do what we do and we will see what happens on Friday." St. Mary's is one of the strongest teams in 4A basketball and were upset in last year's regional final by Meadow Lake, giving Prince Albert's largest catholic high school some added motivation going into the four team provincial championship draw. Playing a very physical brand of basketball as a well coached team, St. Mary's will be a very hard team to upset as they rarely fail to match their opponents intensity if they ever aren't the team that is setting the physical and defensive tone as they are famous for doing.
The Raiders have been on a tear as of late, with a 88-44 win over Swift Current and Saturday's win over Weyburn showing that they have stepped up the quality of their basketball of late, the Raiders will need similar efforts from every player who touches the court if they are to advance to the tournament final.
Daniel Mandziuk and Ben Redl will give the Raiders a chance, but as coach Payne recognized will be a scouted by any team they come across in March. Role players have been the key to the YRHS' success all season and will once again become crucial.
They got the timely baskets they needed from their supporting cast on Saturday and it showed, if they want to win Friday it will have to happen again as both teams boast very talented and hard working teams.
In the other semifinal Moose Jaw Central will take on Regina O'Neill in the 2/3 match up of the semifinals, a game that the Raiders will focus on after their game against St. Mary's, if they want to be looking at the winner of the game they are going to need the best forty minutes of basketball of their season. Last year's bronze medallists will be looking for an extra win this season. March Madness in Saskat-chewan comes to an end this weekend, and the Raiders hope to be the last team dancing come Saturday at Marion Graham High School.
