By Zach Amin

Rattlers basketball squads rolling into provincials

Feb 28, 2018 | 5:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The MHC Rattlers men’s and women’s basketball squads are cruising into playoffs, each capping off the regular season with back-to-back victories.

On the men’s side, the second-place Rattlers head to the ACAC Men’s Basketball Championship in Lethbridge sporting a record of 14-5. They face the North’s third-place Lakeland Rustlers on Thursday, with a ticket to the semi-finals on the line.

For former Rustlers guard Jon Sappleton, knocking out his former team would be a great way to kick off provincials.

“I’m sure they’re going to give us their best shot just because I’m over here now, they feel disrespected. It should be interesting, I look forward to the match up,” Sappleton says.

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Head coach Rich Humphrey knows it won’t be easy matching up with the Rustlers.

“They’re a tough team to beat. They have a ton of athletes, they shoot the ball wall, they got a couple of bigs that match us inside,” Humphrey says. “I think our defensive aggressiveness and the way we play offence will give them a good game.”

The Rattlers boast one of the top rookies in the ACAC in Aaron Cameron. The Sacramento, CA product finished fourth in points-per-game, averaging 19.9. Cameron played two full seasons in the NCAA before joining the Rattlers last fall.

The intensity of provincials doesn’t seem to phase the standout first-year guard.

“I’ve been in the playoffs in pressure situations before. I feel I’m just here to pull the team together, bring the energy and just lead by example,” Cameron says. “I feel the responsibility to lead by example and just keep it going like I have been all season.”

The men finished with bronze in last year’s Provincials.

On the women’s side, head coach Clayton Nielsen is looking forward to a solid turnout from his squad. With impact player Kendall Kuntz out with an injury, the rest of the team has stepped up in her absence, beating the league-leading SAIT Trojans earlier this month.

Kennedy Werre, Morgan Muir, and Courtney Henry all played some of their best basketball in the final stretch of the season.

“For those three to step up and give us that offence it’s huge, it takes the pressure off of others, they can just relax and play their game so it’s a big deal for sure,” Nielsen says.

Australian-born Muir finished the season notching double-digits in points in her final three regular season games. The fifth-year guard graduates following this school year, and says her final season has been emotional at times.

“My last game at college, I got a bit teary. I’ve been through a lot here,” Muir says.

The ladies will head to SAIT as the South Conference’s third seed, kicking off provincials against the North’s second-seed Concordia Thunder. Last season, the ladies stunned the league-best Lethbridge Kodiaks in game one only to finish fourth in the tournament.