After a lengthy run of being one of the 4A division's peskiest underdogs, the run and gun Saints are headed back to the 3A category and in addition to the new division the Saints will also likely have a new playing style.
"We are returning eight guys from last year with four grade elevens and grade twelves returning so two thirds of our team is returning, but we are losing our three leading scorers and will probably not have the same transition game as we had with those athletic players in Nathan Ruff, Preston Liebrecht and Logan Coutts," said head coach Garrett Karcha.
Despite the loss of their old guard Karcha feels that the Saints will have a much better team defense and shooting team this season to make up for the potential of losing their highly effective transition game of past years. Grade twelves Brendon Walkington, Brock Liebrecht, Carter McKay, and Colin Shewchuk will provide experience and defense as they did as grade elevens last year, but one of them is likely going to have to develop into a scoring role if the Saints are to contend this season.
Underclassmen David Ojo and Carter Ruff will give the Saints two players who will be able to play both in the mid range game and in the post while giving the Saints size they haven't seen in recent years as Ojo and Walkington will give the Saints two natural post players for the first time in years while Ruff can play in the post when needed and can also play the shooting guard and small forward positions giving Karcha options he has otherwise not had in his tenure as Saints head coach.
In addition to the new strengths in size and shooting, the Saints will also be looking to more man to man and pressing defense something that comes with having better matchup options. "In past years we needed to use strictly zone to combat being a smaller school and lacking true post players, but now with the added size and the fact that most 3A schools run zone we would like to see how our man to man defense looks more to add an extra element to our game," mentioned Karcha.
As for the switch to the 3A Karcha mentioned that the lower division still has very talented teams and that his Saints squad will be prepared saying, "The 3A division is always competitive and we have been actively trying to face 3A schools in the past few seasons here and there so we know what we are getting into this year."
Karcha also mentioned that his team should get through his conference as four teams advance to the Regionals rather than the two team system put in place in the 4A division and that the Saints will be going up against Wynyard, Melville, Esterhazy, Moosomin and Kamsack in their new conference alignment.
Going into the opening weekend Karcha and the Saints have the difficult task of having one less week of practice than their hometown rivals in the YRHS as the Saints making 4A volleyball provincials prevented them from practicing as a full squad until Tuesday, giving them just three practices before their season opener Friday night against the hosts and familiar foes MCS.
The Saints will then travel to what will be a tough early season challenge in Caronport before wrapping up their pre-Christmas break schedule with their SHHS four team round robin with the YRHS, MCS, and Canora and returning to the YRHS in their first action after the break. Trips to Moose Jaw Vanier and Lumsden round out the Saints road tournament schedule with Lumsden on the February 7-9 weekend serving as the Saints final test before Conference and Regional playoffs.
By far the biggest date on the Saints calendar will be the 2013 York City Classic Febuary 1/2 as the Raiders and the Saints will once again be teaming up to host the third inaugural tournament which houses the best 4A and 5A talent and will now be featuring some of the best 3A talent Saskatchewan has to offer.
"Coach Payne and myself worked on getting some top 3A teams into this years York City Classic and as always the tournament is going to be a chance to see where we stack up and is at that turning point of the season where you see what your teams strengths and what you will be looking at heading into the stretch run towards March."
Playoffs begin March 8/9 in Wynyard for Conferences before March 15/16 Regional Playoffs and finally Hoopla at the March 21-23 weekend, a place the Saints can never be counted out of after years of threatening to ruin much bigger 4A schools March dreams in close calls in the Regional playoffs.
A new division will be fitting as the Saints look to find a new identity in shedding the giant killing role they had in 4A. The fun run and gone might be gone as well, but an always well defensively coached team that creates a high amount of turnovers can never be counted out and with new size and new competition it is going to be interesting to see how the 2012-13 SHHS Saints basketball season shakes out. If anything has been learned from the Saints 4A years it is this: never count out the Sacred Heart Saints.
