On Wednesday, a raucous crowd was on hand at Sheridan College's Trafalgar Campus as fourth-ranked Iroquois Ridge Trailblazers took on #2 M.M. Robinson Rams in the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association Senior Girls Basketball Final.
On Friday, Iroquois took down the top-seeded King's Christian College to gain their berth in the Championship. They were not going to bow down to the Rams in their quest for the 2022 Championship.
Things started out rough for the Trailblazers as they watched M.M. Robinson race out to a 14-6 lead in the first quarter. Hana Labib is the only Iroquois player making it onto the score sheet with all 6 points.
In the second quarter, the Blazers seemed to find their feet. Things took a noticeable turn when Georgi Brinton stepped up to the foul line to shoot a round of free throws. With the full stand of Rams fans shouting at her, she cooly sank the first and slowly turned her head to give a rye smile to the opposition's supporters. Then drained the second. And from there, the momentum began to shift.
Head Coach Stephen Merner chuckled after the game about Brinton's glare, "Georgi is a bit of our attitude girl, so if she can give it, she gives it."
Hana Labib finished the half with 14 points, with Brinton being the only other Blazer to score. The two teams headed into the dressing rooms separated by a basket, and the score 21-19 in favour of the Rams.
In the 3rd quarter, Iroquois would hold a brief 26-24 lead before M.M. Robinson closed out the half, racing to a 32-28 lead, heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter was a complete about-face for both teams as incessant defensive pressure from the Trailblazers saw them suffocate the MM. Robinson ball handlers any time they gained possession.
The Ridge managed to hold their opponents to a mere 5 points in the 4th quarter and quieted a rather sizeable crowd that had made their way from Burlington.
They were in total shock with less than a minute to play as Iroquois took the lead and eventually closed out the victory to seal their place in the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference Final on Tuesday.
Labib finished as the game's top scorer with 23 points, earnung high praise from Coach Merner after the final whistle.
"She has learned how to make them (her teammates) better ball players by finding them in their open spots. She's by far the best player on the team, but she knows she can't do it all."
Following the medal presentation, and still basking in the moment, Labib spoke to the tenacity her squad showed throughout the game, allowing them to claw their way into the GHAC Final.
"We all put in the energy and got back up, and honestly, just keeping up that energy is what made us win."
In the Tier 2 Final, White Oaks defeated Sainte Trinite 26-25.
On Monday, T.A. Blakelock will square off with Aldershot in the GHAC AA Challenge Game.
The HCAA Senior Girls Basketball Final will take place today at noon.