CALGARY,AB–It’s only one game but it’s safe to say that NPH #9-Ranked Sir Winston Churchill (#1 Provincially, AB) was a good pick. After demolishing the #16-ranked (AB) Bowness Trojans 112-39 in the opening night of the HSBC Calgary Basketball Classic the Bulldogs will move on to face Father Lacombe Lasers (#9 AB), who downed St. Francis Browns (#8 AB) by a score of 81-74.

It’s not unusual for a lop-sided score to show up in the first round in a tournament of this size (64 teams), but if one reads between the lines of the Bulldogs’ victory over the Trojans on Monday night, it’s obvious that they belong at the top of the contender column until somebody else proves otherwise. Regardless of which player was on the court, the Bulldogs dominated the tempo of the game.

Five players finished in double digits, led by forward Glen Yang’s 19 points.

Scott Lamb scored 18 points, Calgary Commit Emmett Cook chipped in with 17 and Adonis Monfort-Palomino added 16 points to go along with a fistful of dimes dished out to his teammates. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead and by the time the first quarter came to an end they already held a commanding 40-16 lead.

The lead was extended to 70-26 at the halftime break, which allowed Coach Fullerton to roll his bench and give everyone plenty of valuable playing time.

“I like that we came out strong because we had a lot of butterflies in our stomachs,” admitted Monfort-Palomino after the game. “It’s always tough being number one but I think our guys came out with fire, we came out to show that we’re number one, we’re going to be the number-one seed and we’re ready for the rest of the city.”

The Bulldogs will be counting on Monfort-Palomino and Cook to lead them to a title this year, but based on the team’s early play, their greatest strength may be their overall team depth. Opposing defences will be focusing on the stars, which will open up some space for the rest of Bulldogs’ sharp-shooters.

“I think it just showed all the weapons that we have,” said Monfort-Palomino about his team’s victory. “I think it shows that when we’re all clicking together, working together, that everyone can put the ball in the hoop and everyone can play defence. It’s a fun team to play on.”

Scores from HSBC Calgary Basketball Classic

Division A

• Boys Bishop Grandin 52 Ernest Manning 46
• Father Lacombe 81 St. Francis 74
•  Bishop McNally 108 Centennial 80
• Notre Dame 70 Crescent Heights 62
•  Lester B. Pearson 69 Western Canada 63
•  St. Mary’s 72 Dr. E.P. Scarlett 32
•  Bishop O’Byrne 105 Henry Wise Wood 63

 Division B

• William Aberhart 87 Lord Beaverbrook 64
• John G. Diefenbaker 80 Strathcona-Tweedsmuir 53
• Central Memorial 58 Rundle College 53
• Forest Lawn 52 Bishop Carroll 45

 Division C

• St. Gabriel 68 Queen Elizabeth 38
• James Fowler 73 Foundations/Future 64