Local teams headline Feb. 16 ASAA basketball rankings

Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

The Alberta School Athletic Association basketball rankings came out Friday, and a number of local teams are highlighted in top-10 positions.
The highest among local outfits is the Stirling Lakers girls team, which holds down second in the 1A rankings. Stirling’s boys team is ranked third in 1A.
Also in at No. 3 is the Magrath Pandas in 4A girls, while the Raymond Comets hold down fifth.
The Magrath Zeniths currently hold the seventh-place ranking in 4A boys.
Magrath lived up to that ranking on the weekend in Edmonton, as the Zeniths claimed bronze at the Harry Ainlay Tri Prov Tournament. Magrath opened play with a 68-65 win over Jasper Place, and proceeded to fall 91-89 to Ross Sheppard in the semifinal. The Zeniths rebounded for an 80-67 win over Raymond to take bronze.
The Comets started the weekend with an 87-84 win over Duchess Park, then dropped a 100-70 decision to Ainlay in the semi.
Raymond’s senior high girls team also competed in the Tri Prov, as the Comets took bronze with an 81-41 win over Ainlay. Raymond began play with a 75-67 win over Foothills, before a 72-59 loss in the semis to Jasper Place.
In Southern Alberta High School Basketball League play last week, the Comets boys took a 109-104 win over Medicine Hat, led by Garrett Hasagawa’s 27-point effort. Drake Still had 26, Jeter Heggie added 22 and Parker Graves had 17.
Raymond also won the JV game, 93-73, as Jaxon West scored 30, Liam Davison had 24 and Tanner Salmon chipped in with 10.
In girls play, the Magrath Pandas dropped a pair of games, which started with an 83-67 loss to LCI. Lucy Wilde had 18 and Jenna Taylor added 13 in the loss. Magrath won the JV game 67-56, as Elley Johnson had 22 and Wilde added 11.
Magrath also fell 69-50 to Cardston, as Montana Berezay had 16 and Madi Cook scored 11. The Pandas fell 52-43 in the JV game, as Hannah Barfuss had 12 points.
League play gets going again on Friday for the boys, Magrath will visit Cardston at 8 p.m. Saturday will feature another installment of the Comets-Zeniths rivalry, as this time, it’s Raymond’s turn to host, as the SV game is set to begin at 7 p.m.
Cardston continues to lead the boys standings at 10-0, while Magrath is 9-1 and Raymond sits tied with LCI at 7-4.
Play in the girls league began Wednesday, as Cardston made the trip to Raymond (score unavailable at press time). Friday features the Pandas and Medicine Hat, in Magrath at 8 p.m., and Raymond in Lethbridge at the Catholic Central West Campus at 8 p.m.
Saturday, the Comets and Pandas will clash in Raymond at 5 p.m.
Raymond leads the league at 8-0, followed by Magrath at 7-3.