After finishing second in the regular-season standings, the Cochrane Cobras senior boys’ basketball team found an extra gear during the playoffs and secured its first Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) championship since 2013. Playing at Bert Church High School in Airdrie March 2, the Cobras came home with the division title after overcoming the high-flying Chestermere Lakers 77-64 in the RVSA championship game. “We played within our system, played as a team and it was tough gritty defence – that was the difference for us today,” said Cochrane co-head coach Patrick Court. “That’s something we preached all year – owning the one-on-one battles and helping out your teammates when you need to.” The win was extra sweet for some of the older Cobras players, considering Cochrane had fallen in the championship game the year before to the Bert Church Chargers. The victory also marked revenge against Chestermere, after the Cobras’ 2018-19 basketball season opened with a nine-point defeat to the Lakers Dec. 4, 2018. “Since the start of the season, we lost the first game against [Chestermere], and it’s just been burning for everyone on the team,” said Grade-12 guard Griffin Sharkey, who finished the final game with 23 points, including 18 in the second half. “We just progressed better as a team than they did.” The result was the first defeat of the 2018-19 season for Chestermere in divisional play. The Lakers had finished the regular season with six wins and no losses, and the best offensive and defensive record in the RVSA. Following the Lakers’ dominant showing throughout the regular season, Chestermere booked its ticket to the final with a 75-32 thrashing of the Springbank Phoenix in the RVSA semi-finals. But against the Cobras, the Lakers struggled out of the gate. Chestermere trailed 18-13 during the first quarter and wasn’t able to crawl into the lead, despite a strong second-frame performance that brought the team within one point. “All the credit goes to Cochrane – they outplayed us today,” said Lakers head coach Mitch Turgeon. “Unfortunately, our guys didn’t respond to the physicality right away. Instructions were given during time-outs to set better screens and cut through the contact; we just didn’t quite respond early enough.” The Cobras and the Lakers didn’t have much time to rest following their championship tilt – both teams were in action March 8 and 9 (after press time) during the 3A and 4A South Central Zones tournaments.
