The Strathmore Spartans have crashed the Foothills Athletic Council Senior boys basketball final party
For the first time since 2010, it won’t be a Foothills Falcon vs. Holy Trinity Academy Knights final as the Strathmore Spartans beat the Knights 71-58 March 2 in Strathmore.
HTA coach Sam Aiello said he was pleased with his team’s gutsy effort. The Knights were behind 41-19 at the half, but were able to cut the lead to 55-46 in the fourth quarter.
“We worked as hard as we could,” Aiello said. “I’m pleased with our effort.”
The Knights were missing point guard Jared Helinsky who was out with a season-ending injury and one of their top rebounders in John Buck.
However, give the Spartans full credit, this was no fluke.
The Spartans had downed the Knights at HTA on Feb. 24 as they finished the FAC regular season at 6-1, a game ahead of Holy Trinity Academy.
Chase Casavant led the Knights in scoring with 14 points in the loss in the semifinal. Seth Moser had 13 points for HTA.
The Spartans’ top scorer was Josh Lowal who had 16 points.
The Foothills Falcons took care of business by beating the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans in the semifinal at the Comp on March 2.
The Strathmore-Foothills Falcons final will go at 4 p.m. at HTA March 5.
The top-ranked 7-0 Falcons beat the Spartans 86-51 in their only meeting of the season in January.
The last time Foothills and the Knights did not meet in the final was 2010 when the Falcons beat the Notre Dame Collegiate Timberwolves 73-43.
The Knights aren’t done yet.
They will begin 3A South Central zone tournament play on March 7 when they host the Highwood Mustangs, tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
The Falcons will begin their best-of-three games 4A South Central final March 9 when they host the Bert Church Chargers.
Girls final
The cross-town rivals will be at it again.
The Foothills Falcons and the Holy Trinity Academy Knights will play in the FAC Senior girls final for the first time since 2013 when they meet this Saturday at HTA.
The Knights, who finished undefeated, advance to the finals by beating the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans 93-33 in the semifinals March 2 at HTA.
Meanwhile on the south side of town, some other Spartans went by the wayside.
The Foothills Falcons eliminated the defending league champions Strathmore Spartans 79-39 on March 2 at the Comp.
The Knights and the Comp will meet in the final at 2 p.m. at HTA on Saturday.
Prior to the two senior varsity finals, the JV games will take place.
The Knights and the Falcons will square off in the boys JV final at noon.
The FAC final extravaganza will kick off with the Holy Cross Hawks from Strathmore playing the Falcons at 10 a.m.
