NEW GLASGOW - The girls varsity basketball team at NNEC will be tested this weekend when they host an eight-team tournament.
“It should be good. Some of the teams are always tough, but we’re hoping to get good results,” said Abbie Delaney, a co-captain and one of the three Grade 12 students on the team, along with Lucia MacKay and Courtney Smith.
She described the squad as generally small and young (they have only one Grade 11 on the roster), but with quickness.
Coach Andy MacKay said the Gryphons are “arguably in the top 10 in the province,” and said the players are beginning to grasp on-court concepts that he and assistant Pat Delaney have installed.
“The kids are starting to understand the offensive and defensive schemes, so we’re getting better.”
While they got off to somewhat of a rough start this season, the Gryphons have shown signs of growth in the past few weeks; they took Horton High School to overtime in a recent game, and also beat Moncton High in front of about 500 students at the New Brunswick school.
MacKay called it “quite a game for the girls” with Moncton fans filling the bleachers and sitting on the floor, tight to the action, as the Gryphons overcame that environment by grinding out a two-point win against what he said was one of the best girls basketball teams in New Brunswick.
“It was really intimidating at first,” Delaney said of playing a road game in front of a large gathering of fans, “but once you start playing, you just block it out.”
A total of eight teams are taking part in the North Nova tournament, which starts Saturday morning. The Gryphon will open with a 10:30 a.m. contest against the Dartmouth High School Spartans.
Games will he played at North Nova Education Centre as well as New Glasgow Academy (see below for the tournament schedule for NNEC, as well the competing teams).
NNEC Tournament Schedule (at North Nova Education Centre, unless otherwise noted):
Saturday
10:30 a.m.: NNEC vs. Dartmouth
5 p.m.: NNEC vs. Auburn Drive (at New Glasgow Academy)
Sunday:
10 a.m.: NNEC vs. Lockview
2:45 p.m.: Consolation Game
4:30 p.m.: Championship Game
POOL A
NNEC Gryphons
Dartmouth Spartans
Lockview Dragons
Auburn Drive Eagles
POOL B
Citadel Phoenix
Horton Griffins
Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals
Harrison Trimble Trojans
