Stirling Lakers earn bronze at 2A basketball provincials

Posted on March 27, 2025 by admin

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

Both Stirling High School basketball teams came into provincials with high hopes.

The two Lakers teams were both ranked No. 2 in their respective Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association tournaments.

But sometimes, as is the case in March Madness, the top-ranked teams are hit with upsets. Unfortunately, that fate befell Stirling in each case.

At the 2A event at Rundle College in Calgary, Stirling earned a first-round bye as the second-ranked team in the tournament.

That set up a quarterfinal date with No. 10 Parkland, a team that gave the Lakers all the team could handle. In the end, Stirling moved on with a 70-60 victory.

But that was as close to provincial glory as the team would get, as No. 3 Sexsmith ended Stirling’s hopes with a 76-59 win in the semis.

That pushed the Lakers to the bronze-medal game, as Stirling salvaged the event and took home a medal with a big 79-51 win over Webber, to end the season on a high note.

The No. 2 ranked Stirling girls were not as lucky, as the trip to Olds Koinonia Christian School began with a 64-61 loss to No. 7 ranked Coaldale Christian in the second round.

That upset loss pushed Stirling to the B Pool, where the Lakers picked up a 53-39 win over Eckville. Stirling then beat up on Glendon by a score of 78-23 to take a win in the fifth-place game.