The Warren Wildcats came within a basket of a provincial title, falling 71–68 to the Frontier Raiders in the gold medal game at the Provincial A/AA JV Boys Basketball Championship hosted by Carman Collegiate from March 12 to 14.
Sawyer Keena of the Warren Wildcats was named a tournament all-star and earned player of the game honours in the Wildcats’ 44–38 semifinal victory over the Souris Sabres at the Provincial A/AA JV Boys Basketball Championship held March 12–14 at Carman Collegiate
Warren opened the tournament with a dramatic quarterfinal victory over the Immanuel Christian Falcons on March 12, edging the Falcons 64–62 to move into the semifinal round.
Head coach Cody Hearn said the Wildcats showed remarkable determination throughout the tournament.
“Over the course of the tournament the team played extremely well, showcasing both their individual and team talent,” Hearn said. “What stood out to me was the amount of determination and heart the boys played with. They played right to the final buzzer in games that could’ve gone either way.”
The Wildcats trailed by nearly 20 points late in their quarterfinal matchup before mounting an impressive comeback to force overtime.
“The team showed immense composure and drive to eliminate almost a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter,” Hearn said. “Then in overtime, showing perseverance and grit, they battled to a two-point victory.”
Warren followed that performance with another hard-fought game on March 13, defeating the Souris Sabres 44–38 in the semifinal to earn a spot in the provincial championship game.
“The Souris game was a defensive grind, but the team stayed calm under pressure in a very physical and intense game,” Hearn said. “We shared the ball well, made some great shots and locked down a couple of Souris’ dangerous scorers.”
That set up a showdown with the Frontier Raiders in the provincial final on March 14. In another tight contest, Frontier held on for a 71–68 victory to claim the championship.
Hearn said the difference ultimately came down to a handful of key plays.
“In my opinion the difference was a matter of one or two more shots in a game where the clock was against us,” he said. “Both teams competed with spirit and resolve in the finals.”
Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Wildcats ended the game on a positive note with a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
“Ending the game with a great three-point buzzer beater was a positive in the close three-point loss,” Hearn said.
Several Warren players were recognized during the provincial weekend. Sawyer Keena was named a tournament all-star and also earned player of the game honours in Warren’s semifinal win over Souris, while Yaseen Ball was selected player of the game in the Wildcats’ opening victory over Immanuel Christian.
Hearn also praised the leadership displayed by his players throughout the tournament.
“Coaching this team of respectful and talented young men was an absolute honour and privilege,” he said. “All players showed great leadership in some way or another, but a quick shoutout to Sawyer Keena and Adam Ball for their leadership on the court.”
The coach said the team can take pride in its performance while using the experience as motivation for the future.
“The team should take pride in how well they played but will also take a hunger to push harder into next year’s season,” he said.
Eight teams from across Manitoba competed in the three-day Provincial A/AA JV Boys Basketball Championship, including Carman, Warren, Souris, Frontier, Rosenort, Arborg, St.-Joachim and Immanuel Christian, with all games played at Carman Collegiate.
