Griffins simply the best

If there was any doubt of the best high school basketball team in Nova Scotia, it was removed March 1 when the Horton Griffins capped off an undefeated season with their second straight provincial D-1 boys’ title.

Some will say the Griffins had all they could handle from the Citadel Phoenix and were fortunate to escape with a 78-76 win. I personally never felt Horton wouldn’t win.

A lot of things have to line up for a team to win 64 games in a row. You need talented leaders who can be counted on to be at their best when the going gets tough. In seniors Ellis Ffrench, Jeremy Dunn and Patrick Riley, Horton has three.

Dunn, at 6’5”, is described by his coach Tim Kendrick as “the best big man in the province right now.” Riley, 6’4”, elevated his game this season, developing into a confident two-way player - arguably the most improved player in Nova Scotia. There is little more that can be said about Ffrench that hasn’t already been said by someone – or by the young man himself through his performances on the court. Ffrench’s performance in the 78-76 nailbiter win over Citadel was one for the ages.

Sage Tanner, Neal McGill and Keegan Fiske don’t get the publicity of their older teammates, but Horton wouldn’t be anywhere close to where they are without them. Fiske in particular had an outstanding weekend. His name doesn’t always show up among the scoring leaders, his contribution is mainly on defense and, of course, rebounding. The same goes for Tanner and McGill, solid players on both sides of the ball, as well as Stephen Traynor, a Grade 10 student with provincial team experience. Fiske, Tanner, McGill and Traynor are the reason Horton will continue to be a provincial contender next year when the “big three” have moved on.

You usually have to look closer to spot the contributions of Horton’s younger players but, in games where they have gotten playing time, Chris Babin, Matt Riley, Jake Kendrick and Connor Stewart have all shown flashes of what they may become. On at least two occasions this season, Horton’s bench exceeded the entire offensive output of the opposing team.

In case one might discount the value of good coaching, Horton has that cornered. Tim Kendrick might be the best high school coach in Nova Scotia, and he has plenty of experienced help in Marvin Rhyno, Jay Robichaud and Bob McGill. The most impressive thing about Horton’s coaches is how well they work together.

Coach Kendrick said what has impressed him most about Horton’s back-to-back provincial champions has been their total commitment to playing as a team, and their almost total lack of selfishness. That doesn’t mean Ffrench, Dunn, Riley or any of the rest don’t shoot when they get the chance; they do, with clocklike regularity. At the same time, the entire team has its eye on the open man and, on defense, plays together like a well-oiled machine.

They aren’t perfect, but they’re the closest thing to it we’ll see around here for some time.