The St. Thomas Aquinas girls basketball team has been steadily building over the past several years, and as the 2019-20 season kicks off they appear to be on the verge of some very big results.
To continue the “building” metaphor just a little further, the Fighting Saints are guided by their own version of a basketball blueprint for success, the twin towers. Forwards Jessica Clarke and Gemma Cutler, both well over six feet tall, combine to form one of the most imposing frontlines in the province, each flashing well-rounded games to match their overpowering frames.
“Their energy kind of fuels the rest of the group and they’ve kind of raised the standards bar a little bit higher every year,” said head coach John Prescott. “They run a high/low game and it doesn’t really matter which one is low and which one of is high. That makes it more difficult to defend because you never know which one’s going to be where. And then now with them both shooting very well too, it’s another option that their outside game is at the point now where you have to guard them everywhere on the court.”
STA faced a tough test in their opening game of the No Regrets Basketball Tournament Dec. 5, hosting Langley’s Walnut Grove in one of their first games of the season. The Saints came into the match as the second-ranked AA team in the province while Walnut Grove was ranked fifth at the AAAA level.
STA came out firing, and in the end walked away with a 95-74 win against a team that is still expected to compete against the biggest schools in the province for a AAAA title.
“This time of year you’re trying to figure out two things: where you’re at and what you need to get better at,” said Prescott. “And I think Walnut Grove helped us answer both of those things. I think they exposed us in a lot of ways, and I think they also indicated too that when we’re ready to go, we can play against the best in the province.”
STA followed that victory up with a 72-24 semifinal win over Regina’s Luther College before beating Argyle 64-52 in an all-North Shore final.
“Games against Argyle are always tight games,” said Prescott. “They’re very good, they’re very well coached and their kids are very passionate about playing the game. The game was close throughout, there were ups and downs for both teams, but in the end, we were just able to squeak out a win.”
Clarke was named tournament MVP, another accolade added to an already stellar resumé that includes being one of 24 high school girls from across the country who played in the BioSteel all-Canadian showcase in Toronto last spring. Clarke recently committed to Washington State where she’ll play NCAA Div. 1 ball next season.
“She makes me look much better than the coach I actually am,” said Prescott with a laugh. “She shows a lot of maturity on the court, a lot of composure. Her game continues to get faster, and defensively more sound and more and more aware of what’s going on in terms of individual defence and team defence. I think she’s going to be a great addition down at Washington State.”
Meanwhile Cutler, who has committed to play at SFU next year, was named to the all-star team at the No Regrets tournament and also earned the 2019 No Regrets Scholarship, an award sponsored by the Quinn Keast Foundation and given to players who are dedicated to team success and demonstrate offensive and defensive skill as well as leadership qualities.
“She’s worked very, very hard,” said Prescott. “In the last year, I don’t know if there is a more improved player in the province.”
Prescott also noted the play of Caelan Prescott, the team’s point guard.
“She has the role of making sure that we’re firing on all cylinders. She has to take away a little bit from her own scoring to make sure that other people are involved and connected and in touch with what we want to do, particularly on the offensive end of the court, to be effective.”
Coach Prescott has watched this team grow over several years, having started with many of them all the way back in Grade 4 or 5. The core of the team came up big in the spring of 2017 when STA won provincial championships at the juvenile (Grade 9) and junior levels, with Clarke (in Grade 9 at the time) earning MVP honours in both tournaments.
Those players are now in Grade 12 and trying to become the first ever STA senior girls basketball team to win a provincial title.
“That certainly is our stretch goal, to prepare to be a championship calibre team,” said Prescott. With their early season results the Saints remain ranked amongst the top teams in the province, but that is of little concern to the coach and players.
“The number of times our kids have talked about rankings when we’ve been training or at games is zero,” said Prescott. “I don’t think they pay attention to them at all. … They know they have a lot of work to do, so it doesn’t really matter what our ranking is right now.”
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STA moved to 3-0 in North Shore premier league play with a 76-43 win over Carson Graham Monday. They’ll be back in action at home Wednesday for a 4 p.m. league matchup against the AAAA Handsworth Royals. The Fighting Saints will then host their own senior girls tournament this Friday and Saturday.
