Jasper Cougars basketball team sets sights high  

The high school senior Jasper Cougars basketball team placed third in the Concordia Invitational Tournament in Edmonton on Dec. 13.  

Going into the tournament as definite underdogs, given that they are a “young small team” and had only practiced for about a month, said coach Jeremy Giles, the players showed a “tremendous will to win.”  

Going to the tournament shorthanded, due to a school dance schedule conflict, the Cougars’ third-place finish is all the more impressive.  The team had only one sub for the last game, said Giles.  Falling to Whitecourt 70-50, the Cougars are looking forward to more tournaments in the new year.  

Taking a page from Mark Twain and as the team told me, from the movie Hustle and Flow, they worked from the perspective that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”  

Stay tuned for more Cougar games in the new year and hopefully some tournaments happening here in Jasper to show off their skills on the hardwood.  According to Giles, they’re looking to build up the program in Jasper and hopefully secure a corporate sponsor.