Celtics season ready for tip-off

The season tips off for the St. Mary’s Celtics on Monday with a huge test for the young squad.

Bow Island is set to visit for a 7:45 p.m. contest to kick off the 2013/2014 River Ridge campaign, as Celtics assistant coach Denver Brewin added the game will show the coaching staff exactly where the team is at.

“I think they’re very well coached and have a lot of seniors and a lot of size,” said Brewin of Bow Island. “It’s going to be hard to match up with them.”

St. Mary’s will employ the long arm of the law in the team’s lone senior, Ian Glas, who Brewin added will be counted on to play a lot of minutes and come up big in the paint.

“He’s like seven-feet tall it seems,” said Brewin. “He’s taking the reins and he’s been a really good leader for us so far.”

Aside from Glas and his tall frame, Brewin added this year’s version of the Celtics will not feature an overly tall lineup.

“Wyatt Fiedler is over six feet, or close to it, but that’s probably it for size. Everyone else is in that 5’8” to 5’10” range.”

The team is made up of one Grade 12, Glas, along with two Grade 10s, while the rest of the roster is in Grade 11. Brewin added the coaching staff is excited to see what the squad can bring to the court.

“We’ve seen them grow and develop and they’re starting to come into their own this year, which is good.”

In terms of the rest of the league, Brewin said there is one clear team at the top, while the remaining River Ridge contenders will make for a pretty competitive circuit.

“Bow Island will be very strong. It’s going to be exciting to see what other teams will be strong this year.”

Brewin added the Celtics should be able to match up well against most teams in the league, and went on to say this area’s other team, Grassy Lake, will likely be in a bit of a rebuilding year, with a new coach and the loss of a number of key seniors from last year.

St. Mary’s players have been on the court for a few weeks, according to the assistant coach, who added a number of the players who have been playing volleyball have also been going toshootarounds for a couple of months in preparation for the season.

After Monday’s game, the Celtics will host Foremost on Dec. 11 and head to Vauxhall on Dec. 16, before the Christmas break.

This weekend, St. Mary’s will host its Double Blue Basketball Tournament, which will open Friday at 3 p.m. with Grassy Lake taking on Eagle Butte. The Celtics open play Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Eagle Butte and play Saturday at 9 a.m. against Grassy Lake.

The Grassy Lake boys team also tips off River Ridge league play Monday with a road game in Foremost, before a Dec. 11 game in Vauxhall and a Dec. 16 home game against Milk River at 7 p.m.