Kodiaks gearing up for second half of season

The team has only played two games this season, but they were both wins for the St. Martin de Porres Kodiaks junior girls basketball squad.

The team is now gearing up for the remainder of the Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association (CSHSAA) basketball season.

Defence has been key in the Kodiaks’ successful start to the season, which has them in fourth place in the CSHSAA’s Division III. In its two wins against James Fowler High School and Forest Lawn High School, the Kodiaks have scored 133 points and only allowed 45, which is good for the lowest points against in the division.

“It’s our major asset right now,” said Kodiaks junior head coach Angela Torraville. “Good defence turns into good offence and more offensive opportunities. That’s lead us to be in the position we’re in. We still have quite a few bigger schools to play against that will be competitive, so it’s just the beginning.”

With the league on a brief hiatus due to final semester exams, the Kodiaks haven’t played since Jan. 8, but Torraville isn’t anticipating much rust when the team returns to the floor Feb. 4 in a home game against Crescent Heights.

The gym has been closed to team practices, but the group has been working on their own to keep up their conditioning.

Once the season is back in full swing, St. Martin de Porres will play seven games before the end of February and the end of the regular season. For the Kodiaks, tightening up its transitions will be crucial as it tries to keep up the momentum it established at the beginning of January.

“We need to work on transitioning from offence to defence and (vice versa),” said Torraville.

“Sometimes the younger girls are having to think twice with what they need to do instead of it coming instantly. We also need to work on our fitness. We’re going to come against teams that play club and community ball and are constantly playing.”

Senior Kodiaks

For their male counterparts, the senior boys Kodiaks, the start to the season has been more rough. The team is still searching for its first win of the season after playing its first three games.

“It’s been pretty good,” said coach Sara Neumiller.

“I can’t say we’re on a winning streak, but we have some pretty impressive schools in our division, so it’s been a challenge as a small school. We’re pulling from a pool of guys that enjoy playing and they have a lot of guys who have played a lot of ball. It’s been a learning and a building type of season.

“We have a very nice group of guys that are very positive towards each other. They know we’re doing this because it’s fun and they’re very good about helping each other as a team.”

The senior boys’ next game back will also be Feb. 4 when its takes on John G. Diefenbaker High School in Calgary.