The Sir Wilfrid Laurier Blue Devils junior girls basketball team’s consistent defense was enough to break down Agincourt Lancers offence to advance them to the Toronto District School Board east regional finals.
Loud chants and a put together warm-up practice by the Lancers didn’t phase the laid back look of the Blue Devils. The final score of 52-25 showed they knew what they were doing.
Coach Jen Parsekhian of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Blue Devils says she wants to see consistency and defence from her team when it goes on to face Leacock in the finals.
[audio:http://www.torontoobserver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/coachjen.mp3]Coach Jen Parsekhian of the Blue Devils said she hopes to see this pattern continue when the Blue Devils go to the finals.
“Our defense wins our games and our defense has always been unbreakable,” she said.
Before the start of the game, Parsekhian said she was looking for a strong defensive game with good team play.
Parsekhian got what she was looking for with the Blue Devils leading the Lancers 17-1 in the first quarter.
“I feel very pleased, I think the girls played a great game, strong defensive game, they took advantage of all the opportunities Agincourt gave us,” Parsekhian said.
From the tip off, the Lancers gained possession of the ball but it was quick turnover that propelled the Blue Devils to rack up the points on the board.
I feel very pleased, I think the girls played a great game, strong defensive game
— Jen Parsekhian
Lancers coach Jillian Fairclough said she talked to her team about intensity after the first quarter.
“I think that [intensity] was what we were lacking in the first quarter of the game and we said, ‘You know what we need to pick up our intensity and go out there and play with intensity,’ and if you know that you’ve left everything on the floor that’s all that really matters,” she said.
The Lancers picked up the intensity scoring 10 points in the second quarter, however, this wasn’t enough to hold off the Blue Devils or their star player Brianna Jones.
Jones scored 20 points in the third and fourth quarters.
“Even last year you could tell that she was a superstar but she’s already starting to improve and be a better team player,” Parsekhian said.
After playing most of the game, Jones said she was tired but enthused with how the team played.
“We played really good, I just want to play the same way we did just now and hopefully we beat Leacock,” she said.
Coach Fairclough commented on the outcome of the game and season.
“It’s not so much the loss, I feel like we could have been a bit stronger, but the girls had a great year, they enjoyed playing the season so the outcome is just secondary,” Fairclough said.