The Dauphin Clippers varsity boys basketball team is off to a strong season and they're being recognized for it. Included in the team's success was taking down the Goose Lake High tournament earlier this season.
The Clippers dominated all three of their games in that tournament. They first beat Major Pratt, 90-34, then they got past Swan Valley in the semifinals. Next up, the Clippers beat the host Raiders, 91-59 in the final.
Ahead of hosting their own tournament this weekend, Dauphin is ranked as the fifth-best AAA team in the province. The list includes six teams from Winnipeg and the remaining three are just outside.
"I kind of thought that we would be in the hunt for one of the top spots in the province," said John Marshall. "With that said, you never really know because there are always Winnipeg teams that have good competition."
"Our goal this year was to be in the Top-5, so we're glad that we achieved our first goal," he added. "We want to be in the Top-3 come provincials, so that's our next goal. That would give us an advantage."
Dauphin begins their home tournament against Ebb & Flow. Other teams taking part are Helen Betty Osborne, Goose Lake, Margaret Barbour, Morden, Hapnot, and Ste. Rose.
Other tournaments Dauphin will take part in this year include one in Brandon and one in Winnipeg. This all, of course, leads up to the zones and provincials which take place from March 19-21 at Ste. Anne Collegiate.
"I'm confident that we can keep it rolling. We've had a few injuries and some players can't play in some tournaments, but we're fortunate to have a deep team," added Marshall. "I do believe that we can move higher than the fifth spot that we're currently in."
When it comes to the ultimate goal for the season, the Clippers are looking to at least win a bronze medal. With the group they have, John knows that they can make that happen.
"We want to medal and of course, we want to medal as high as we can," he added. "Winning gold would be wonderful, but we know that's going to be tough. With that said, it's doable, but we have to make sure we continue to play our best basketball and improve every single game."
