By Nour Alzahran
The Espanola Spartans Junior Boys basketball team has enjoyed a remarkable run this season, celebrating three straight tournament championships in Northern Ontario. From the opening tip of the St. Joseph-Scollard Hall (SJSH) Gold and Green Classic, the Spartans showed they were a force to be reckoned with, defeating the Lasalle Lancers 66-57 in the final game. Even then, it was clear their success wasn’t just a product of one or two standout players; they relied on a balanced attack and a tenacious defense to pull out the win.
Not long after, they traveled to Sudbury for the Mitch Lalonde Memorial Tournament and came away victorious once again, overcoming Timmins’ O’Gorman High School 49-43 in a gritty, lower-scoring contest. By keeping their composure late in the second half—especially when shots weren’t falling from the perimeter—the Spartans relied on rock-solid defensive play and a relentless effort on the glass. It was a testament to their depth, with everyone from the starters to the bench making key contributions in a game that could easily have slipped away had they not maintained such fierce determination.
A third championship followed at the Lachance Classic in North Bay, where the team delivered a statement victory by beating École secondaire Macdonald-Cartier 62-40. In that final, it seemed as though everything clicked at once. The Spartans controlled the tempo with smooth ball movement, while their defense generated timely turnovers that led to fast-break points. Any time Macdonald-Cartier looked ready to close the gap, Espanola would step up with a momentum-shifting steal or a clutch three-pointer.
Central to this winning streak has been the Spartans’ impressive starting five. Liam Houle (averaging 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists) is a steady floor general who orchestrates the offense while crashing the boards. Carter McLennan, the team’s leading scorer at 17.7 points per contest, can score from anywhere on the court and often delivers at the most crucial moments. Gideon Jacques (10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists) adds length and athleticism, Leeland Snider (11.5 points, 4.2 rebounds) provides a keen eye from beyond the arc, and Judah Brohart (9.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists) anchors the paint while proving he can also pass and create for others. Their chemistry is evident every time they take the floor—each one knows where the others will be, and there’s an unselfishness that puts the team ahead of individual stats.
Coming off the bench, players like Liam Leclair and Cooper Farquhar offer a burst of energy, while the rest of the roster—Darrien Harris, Clayton Lagrandeur, Alex Bourcier, Silas Jacobs, Cohen Rajotte, Tommy Ryan, Evan Rheault, and Dalton Deschamps—rounds out a group that is as cohesive as it is talented. This depth has allowed the Spartans to maintain their high level of play no matter who’s on the floor.
Their coaching staff—Head Coach Josh Brohart, along with Assistant Coaches Nick Hannah and Jason Jacques—deserves plenty of credit for building an environment where disciplined fundamentals meet a willingness to adapt on the fly. Whether it’s pressing at the right moment or fine-tuning an offense around the hot hand, they’ve molded a group of players into a team that consistently rises to the challenge.
Three consecutive championships might be enough for many squads to rest on their laurels, but the Espanola Spartans Junior Boys show no signs of slowing down. They’ve established themselves as one of the toughest teams in the region, demonstrating they can triumph in both fast-paced shootouts and defensive dogfights. Opponents can expect a well-rounded offense, a formidable defense, and a roster deep enough to withstand almost any challenge. As the season continues and playoffs draw near, the Spartans appear more than ready to keep this remarkable run going.