NBIAA Final 12

Tickets to Final 12 Dance Have Been Punched By Teams

The long season has come to this.

A one-game showdown at three New Brunswick Interscholastic Athletic Association levels at the Final 12 in Saint John.

Champions will be decided at the AAA, AA and A divisions at Harbour Station this Friday and Saturday. The AAA goes Friday, while AA and A teams will cut the nets on Saturday.

What a weekend of basketball at the sectional showdowns across the province.

Let’s start on the boys side. Miramichi Valley High Pulamoo and Fredericton’s Leo Hayes High Lions will meet Friday for the AAA crown. The AA final pits – surprise, surprise – the Battle of Carleton County when Woodstock High Thunder and Florenceville-Bristol’s Carleton North High Stars meet for the marbles.

The A title sees Harvey High Lakers blaze for a third straight crown, facing Fredericton Christian Academy Eagles.

Miramichi Valley earned its ticket with a 71-59 win over Fredericton High Black Kats. Leo Hayes, the consensus No. 1 team at the AAA level most of the season and ranked No. 1 by NB Hoops Report, advanced with an 89-62 win over Kennebecasis Valley High Crusaders.

Carleton North downed Rothesay High Red Hawks, 95-88 and will join Woodstock on centre stage. Thunder drilled Miramichi’s James M. Hill High Tommies, 90-42.

Harvey defeated upstart Canterbury High Trojans 92-64 to get to Harbour Station. The Lakers will face Fredericton Christian Academy following its 89-72 win over McAdam High Warriors.

Moving over to the girls portion, Kennebecasis Valley High Crusaders pulled off the biggest shock of the weekend, but then again, the Quispamsis school is the defending AAA champions. Still, the Crusaders were on the ropes, but came out on fire and eliminated the Sussex Regional High Sonics, 78-74 right in the Dairy Town.

Sussex was the No. 1-ranked team by NB Hoops Report.

The Crusaders will meet Riverview High Royals for the title. Riverview earned a grinding 52-42 win over Fredericton High Black Kats. The Royals led by three with five minutes left, but the Kats couldn’t claw out of the hole.

At the AA level, it’s Carleton County rivals Woodstock High Thunder and Florenceville-Bristol’s Carleton North High Stars in the final. Woodstock was No. 1 by NB Hoops Report.

The Thunder eliminated St. Stephen High Spartans, 71-56 and Carleton North skipped past Rothesay High Red Hawks, 67-52.

John Caldwell Golden Knights of Grand Falls continues their remarkable season, cruising to Saint John following a 68-37 win over Rothesay Netherwood School Riverhawks. John Caldwell, No. 1 by the provincial web site, will meet Harvey High Lakers.

The Lakers turned back Grand Manan Community School Breakers, 60-55 to earn the right to Harbour Station.

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