Riders ready to embrace the chaos in Winnipeg
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If the Riders win on Saturday, it secures them a spot in the 111th Grey Cup in Vacnouver on Nov. 17.
The Raymond (Alta.) Comets had a double-double Saturday at the 70th annual Luther Invitational Tournament.
The girls team defeated Winnipeg’s Dakota Lancers 88-68 in that division’s final, and then in the next contest, the Raymond boys team defeated the Lancers 101-96.
The title is the 13th for the Comets boys program – the most of any at the annual tournament. It was the Comets’ first boys title since 2011.
“It feels great. We came here last year and fought hard and got third place but this year we won it all,” said Grade 12 student Everson Harker, who was named the boys tournament’s MVP. “It feels good to come back and take the constructive criticism from last year and we worked hard, played as a team and we won.”
The 70th LIT featured high-paced high school basketball action from Thursday to Saturday.
The Raymond girls got out to a 48-40 lead at halftime ahead of the Lancers. For the second straight year, Delaney Gibb starred for the Comets. The Grade 12 student, who scored the most points ever in a single tournament last year with 86, is set to play at BYU once her high school career wraps up.
The Comets led the rest of the way, winning their second straight LIT title. It was the second straight season these two teams met in the girls final, with the Comets winning a tight 64-62 contest last year.
“It’s great. I love coming to Luther. The support system is unmatched so to win back to back is really special to me,” said Gibb, who was named the girls tournament’s MVP.
In the boys game, the Comets took the lead in the first quarter by a 36-27 margin.
But the Lancers battled back in the second frame, only trailing by a point at halftime with the scoreboard reading 59-58.
It was a tight contest the rest of the way but the Comets held on to the 101-96 win over the Lancers.
The Riffel Royals defeated the Winston Churchill Bulldogs 83-65 in the boys’ bronze-medal game. In the girls’ third-place showdown, the Magrath Pandas beat the Garden City Gophers 69-47.