BY SCOTT
HADDOW
To opposing basketball teams, Lasalle's Riley Fortier, Joey
Pelletier, Kyle McCall and Andrew Lalonde are like the
modern-day Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
The "big four" from the Lancers squad has terrorized the
local competition all season in the senior boys' Division I
league, and they show no signs of slowing down.
With the end of the regular season still two weeks away, the
Lancer foursome have all recorded at least 100 points each to
become the most feared starting lineup in the league.
It's not uncommon for the team to thump opposing squads by
30, 40 and 50 points.
In their first 12 games, Lasalle went a perfect 12-0 and
scored a whopping 774 points for, over 150 more than their next
closest rival, Lo-Ellen.
For three of the players - Fortier, McCall and Pelletier -
they wanted a strong year and go out on top as it's their final
year of high school. Lalonde also wanted a highly successful
season under his belt, so he can help guide a younger team to
more glory next season.
Besides obvious skill, it's quite simple as to why the four
are dominating players.
"They spend a lot of time on their game," said head coach
Mitch Lalonde. "Ever since Grade 9, they've all been working
hard to make themselves better...and it shows. All the kids
work on this team, but those four are a big reason for our
success. Riley, Joey and Kyle have been in the program for
three years and bring a lot of knowledge and experience.
Andrew, being one of the better younger players in the
province, solidifies the lineup."
With 774 points for, the Lancers certainly know how to put
the ball in the hoop.
"The type of offence we run is distribution...and basically
all the players get their fair share of shooting
opportunities," said the bench boss. "All four guys can score
and it makes it very difficult for opposing teams to match.
We're an older team compared to the rest of the league, so we
expect good things from our top players each game."
Fortier leads the charge with 134 points in his first 12
games.
The six-foot-six forward is having the time of his life
right now as he lights up scoreboards with his shooting
prowess.
"It means a lot to me to have a good year," said the
18-year-old. "It's my last year and I wanted to do well. I'm
taking the shots and they're going in. It's the best season
I've ever had, by far, in my life. I think the big difference
for me is confidence...it's way up. I've been playing for a
while and I felt I had something to prove this year."
Pelletier is second with 116 points in 12 games. Despite the
robust stats, he expects more from himself and has challenged
himself to do just that down the stretch and into the playoffs.
"I'm not satisfied with my scoring," said the 19-year-old.
"I should have more. It's my job to score and I have high
expectations for myself. I need a good season to prepare me for
playing basketball at the next level. I've had many different
roles over the years. This year, I am here to lead, and that's
what I want to do."
McCall sits with 108 points in 12 games. Going all the way
to OFSAA would be the perfect cap to the season.
"This is our year," said the 18-year-old. "We've been
growing as a team for the last few years and this is it for
most of us. We've all matured and realize what's at stake.
We're the best boys' team in Sudbury. We've all worked hard to
get to this point and ability level, so there's just no way
we're going to let up now. We want to win the city championship
first, then NOSSA and go and compete hard at OFSSA for a medal.
At the pace we're playing at now, we should continue to
succeed."
The four players pack a punch and have outstanding talents
that make for an eye-popping display when all four are in the
swing of things.
"Riley is versatile and one of the top six-foot-six shooting
players in the province...people don't expect him to be such a
great shooter," said the coach. "Joey is athletic and
deceptively fast. He also shoots and jumps well. Kyle is
another kid who can really shoot. He handles the ball good and
makes strong passes...he's very calm and if he's open, he
doesn't miss too many shots. Andrew is a quarterback and spends
an amazing amount of time practising on his own. He's quick and
can pass, shoot and penetrate well...he also has good knowledge
of the game."
Time spent together created a foundation for the four
players to enjoy success.
"I know it's a cliché, but we're a family," said Fortier.
"We spend a lot of time together...a lot more than other teams
from around here. It's put us on the same page and we have the
same goals and we all work towards them."
Regular season success is nice, but the boys want to raise a
few trophies over their heads come playoff time, but they need
a strong work ethic to do so.
"When we're playing well and up to our potential...we can
play with anyone in this province," said McCall. "Our success
lies in the way we move the ball. We run the floor and when we
get open, we capitalize on our chances. Because we don't get
good competition in Sudbury, sometimes we're not prepared for
teams from down south at tournaments. To overcome it, we
practice really hard. Our practices are intense and usually
harder than most of our games."
Basketball aside, the Lasalle program has done more than
just help young athletes reach their on-court potential.
"This program has done a lot for me," said Fortier. "It made
me who I am today. It really helped me in my personal life and
made me a better person. I am going to miss it when I
leave...it will be hard."
Lasalle's next game is on Tuesday, Feb. 6 when they take on Lockerby at 8 pm.
