The Edge School’s prep basketball team is continuing to make waves in its inaugural season competing in the National Preparatory Association (NPA). Playing competitive fixtures at home for the first time, the Edge Mountaineers won three of its four matches during the NPA’s Western Session, held at the Edge School in Springbank Feb. 7 to 11. “I’m excited about how the boys came out mentally focused for this weekend,” said the Edge’s head coach, Adam Huffman. “They definitely made defence a priority, and that’s what we have to do as a club if we want to win.” The Edge averaged 92 points per game over the weekend, outscoring its opponents 368-272. The weekend results maintain the Mountaineers’ position atop the NPA’s Western Conference, with an 8-4 record. The Edge is still unbeaten against divisional opponents, with five wins. “For a first-year program, we’re really starting to make a lot of noise, now,” said post-grad guard Briekie Davis, who has averaged 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, this season. “I feel our whole team has the same goal – we all just want to win, so there’s no egos or anything like that getting in the way. We just all want to win so badly, so it all comes together.” The Edge’s Western Session got off to a hot start, with a 116-80 win Feb. 7 over Oakville Basketball Preparatory. The Mountaineers continued the positive momentum the following day, overtaking another team from Ontario – the London Basketball Academy – 84-57. “We’re doing great right now,” said Davis after the win over London. “We just need to keep doing what we’re doing, and good things will come.” The Edge’s toughest challenge of the session came Feb. 9, when the team took on the unbeaten Canada Top Flight (CTF) Academy – the defending NPA champions from 2018 and 2017. The Edge battled hard against the Ottawa team, but fell 86-81. Following a day of rest, the Edge rounded out its weekend Feb. 11 with an 82-54 victory over the Saint-Laurent Express. After playing its first eight games of the season on the road, while also competing in tournaments and exhibition games in the United States, Huffman said it was refreshing to finally play at home. “This is such a big country,” he said. “Whether it’s CIS or whatever level you’re playing at, to have to get on a plane, fly and change time zones – it’s a grind. “We’re usually the team travelling out to Toronto and changing our time zone and our patterns and routines. It’s nice to see some teams come to us.” The Mountaineers will return to the court for the NPA’s national championship tournament, held March 20 to 23 in Brampton, Ont.
