Fresh confirmation has arrived that the annual Jasper Place Rebels invitational tournament continues to receive rave reviews in the world of North American high school basketball.

Recent evidence includes a decision by coach Mark Gallagher to ask if tournament organizers could find a spot for his team, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in Welland, Ont.

“I had heard a lot of good things about the tournament,” Gallagher said Monday, the day before his squad departs for the Thursday opening of the 35-year-old event. “A friend (also a coach) told me it was an event that deserves its reputation.”

“Really, I was thinking it would be great to get our team in for 2017; when it turned out that there could be room this year, so much the better.”

An 8-and-2 win-loss record accompanies the newcomers and Gallagher said he is not sure what to expect from his team. “These guys haven’t played together a lot. There are a lot of club teams in Ontario. We’re still working out some things.”

Four players, in particular, have earned his early-season respect. “A lot of our scoring and rebounding is done by (6-foot-4) post Kyle Cooper and (shooting guard) Braiden Moore,” he explained. “We do some switching at point guard and we get what we need from Brandon Grazioni and Jonah Gruarin.”

Typical of most developing teams, the Irish — named specifically after the legendary university at South Bend, Ind. — gets something special from under-the-radar bench player Jason Rochard. “He gives us a lot energy and sometimes we can feed off it.”

As the long-distance telephone conversation wound to a close, the coach left one suggestion of his eagerness: “We’re going to the hotel right after we arrive (today). Right now, I’m trying to find out when we can practice.”

Jasper Place boys head coach Matt Burrows, evidently pleased to hear of Gallagher’s comments, said the tournament remains “probably the biggest single event at this school — well, maybe graduation is bigger, but that mostly touches the Grade 12s.

“We have 300 to 400 student volunteers working hard, and 60 to 100 staff members put in a lot of time, too.”

Opening ceremonies begin Thursday about an hour before competition begins at 10:30 with an opener between the M.E. Lazerte Voyageurs and the Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats of Calgary.

“It’s hard to tell, right now, who will be the strongest teams,” said Burrows, who serves triple duty as athletic director, hoops coach and head coach of the Rebels senior football program. “For sure, we’re hoping to be in the race.”

Obvious contenders should include the Ontario entrants, Welland and St. Benedectine Catholic of Cambridge, along with the high-profile California program from Moreno Valley. Kelowna Secondary, the unsuccessful finalists last season against the North Huskies of California, also has returned “and should be very good.”

Alberta representatives include Lethbridge Collegiate, Western Canada from Calgary and Lazerte, Ross Sheppard, St. Francis Xavier and Archbishop O’Leary from Metro Edmonton.

“You can’t overlook the women’s division,” Burrows cautioned. “Our first game (Jasper Place and St. Francis of Calgary) is a rematch of last year’s provincial final.

“We finished second in the provincials a year ago and we’re getting 11 players back.”

Included on the impressive list is Mackenna Ledgister, who already has committed to the University of Alberta Pandas next season.

“We’ll have a lot of good senior girls headed to CIS in the next couple of years.”

jcshort@shaw.ca

On the Sked

High School

Swimming

Today

Kinsmen Field House, 8:30 a.m. — Metro high school championships

Boys Basketball

Wednesday

5 p.m. — Lillian Osborne at McNally, Bev Facey at Ross Sheppard, St. Francis Xavier at Archbishop O’Leary, St. Peter the Apostle at Holy Trinity, Strathcona at M.E. Lazerte, Spruce Grove at Leduc.

Friday

5 p.m. — Lillian Osborne at Strathcona.

Girls Basketball

Wednesday

5 p.m. — St. Albert at Archbishop MacDonald, Bev Facey at Spruce Grove; 6:30 p.m. — Paul Kane at Archbishop O’Leary

Monday

5 p.m. — Archbishop Jordan at Spruce Grove, Archbishop MacDonald at Harry Ainlay, Strathcona at Archbishop O’Leary, St. Albert at Paul Kane.

By the Numbers

42— Per-game average points (29.4) and (12.6) rebounds for ACAC leader Cody Bouchard of Olds Broncos.

478— Athletes registered for Metro high school swim championships today at Kinsmen Pool.

One to Watch

Former Strathcona Academy Eagles volleyball star Danielle Kath, now in her first year at King’s University College, has been awarded the Alberta Schools Athletic Association Pay-It-Forward scholarship for her athletic ability and ongoing contributions to her school and neighbourhood.

Notes

Alberta’s high school football players will get an early start in their bids to qualify for provincial under-17 and under-18 teams this year. Football Alberta technical director Tim Enger has confirmed that a so-called “Super Weekend” will take place Jan. 13-15, with up to 300 athletes involved.

In previous years, four separate camps would be held in April. The improvement in winter facilities at Foote Field has enabled this change.

“We’re planning to select about 80 kids for the two teams,” Enger said, and the youngsters will practice regularly until July, when the under-18 group heads to the Football Canada Cup. In August, Alberta’s under-17 aggregation is due to face a British Columbia squad in a Pan-Pacific Challenge.

***

Once again, the Canadian national deaf women’s volleyball team will put their abilities on display in Edmonton during the holiday season. Striving to improve on his team’s winless record in 12 ACAC North matches, head coach Trever Turner has arranged matches on Concordia’s home floor on Friday and Saturday.

The rebuilding Thunder have six first-year players on their roster.

A large number of ACAC teams in hockey, basketball and volleyball have scheduled exhibition events, including some international tournaments, in preparation for the return to league competition in the first week of 2017.

***

The Magrath Zeniths and Jasper Place Rebels captured male and female titles in the annual Totem Hoop Classic at Ross Sheppard High School.

En route to the men’s title, Magrath got past the host Thunderbirds 80-74. Previously, Magrath downed Strathcona 73-50 and Lillian Osborne 80-64. Strathcona nipped Paul Kane 6l-60 in the consolation final.

In women’s play, Jasper Place prepared for the upcoming Rebel tournament by downing the St. Albert Skyhawks 66-36 in the final after downing Spruce Grove 67-63 and Magrath 87-30. The Strathcona halted Harry Ainlay 67-30 in the women’s consolation.