As the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) regular season winds down, the Chestermere Lady Lakers are on the verge of closing out a perfect season.
In league play, the Lady Lakers has dominated each team it has taken to the court – and has continued to gain strength throughout the season.
“We’re still getting better every time we play…it doesn’t feel like we’ve peaked or plateaued,” said head coach Jessica Thielen. “I am very pleased with our progress.
“It’s been a huge team effort because we are so deep (on our roster).”
With 11 of the 13 players on the roster in their final year of high school, Thielen said the team has grown together, developed as athletes and built stronger bonds than most other teams in the league.
“These girls have been together for so long that they are so much more than a basketball club,” Thielen said.
The team’s offence has shown just how potent it can, breaking the 100-point plateau in two of its past three games – it knocked off the Springbank Phoenix 109-22 Jan. 9, and the George McDougall Mustangs 111-31 Feb. 6.
In its only other league game in 2018, the Lady Lakers defeated the Bert Church Chargers 94-9, posting not only amazing offensive numbers but also effectively limiting its opponent’s point totals.
“One message that I strongly tried to get across to the girls this year was to take pride in their one-on-one defence,” Thielen said.
In the 2017-18 regular season campaign, the Lady Lakers amassed 503 points for, averaging more than 100 points a game, while allowing just 102 points against – approximately 20 per game. Boasting a 5-0 record, the Lady Lakers are just two points ahead of the second-placed Cochrane Cobras, which it beat 87-28 in its regular season-opener Dec. 13, 2017.
Still, when the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association (ASAA) revealed its first provincial 4A rankings in January, team was named as an honourable mention and did not place on the Top 10.
“Even though we have a few blow-out wins like that under our belt, we have enough losses to keep us humble and hungry,” Thielen said. “If you look at the teams that are ranked in the Top 10…we haven’t beat any of them.
“There are teams on that list that we have the ability to beat, but having the ability to beat them and actually beating them are two different things.”
Among the teams ranked in the ASAA’s 4A Top 10 were fellow South Central Zone squad Foothills Falcons, which the Lady Lakers has faced off against twice in tournament play – but have yet to beat this season.
While Thielen said she doesn’t want the team looking past the RVSA season, she knows if the team wants to make it to provincials this year, it will have to knock off the Falcons.
The Lady Lakers concluded the RVSA regular season Feb. 13 (after press time), when it played host to the Bow Valley Bobcats. The team will now turn its attention to RVSA playoffs, which begins Feb. 27.
