Kelly Road on a Roll

By Kelly Sharp

    Roadrunner launches jump shot against Condors

The treys were not falling, but the defensive side of the Roadrunners game came through in a 72-70 victory over the Duchess Park Condors in the final of the PGSS senior boys high school basketball tournament. A steal with 55 seconds remaining in regulation produced the winning basket for Kelly Road.

“The biggest difference from last year’s team to this year is we are better defensively,” said Cory Atrim, who is in his 4^th season as Kelly Road coach.

The Roadrunners of 05-06, a team mainly of grade 11s was more about offense. A 29-9 season included a triple-A zone championship. But a loss in the city final to eventual provincial champion Duchess Park signaled defensive breakdowns for a team that relied too much on perimeter scoring.

Losses have been few and far between for the more defensive conscious ‘Runners team. The boys from the Hart have strung together a 22 game winning streak, 23-2 overall.

A more balanced attack has lessened the scoring pressure on Kelly Road’s quiet leader Jesse Greenwood. The pure shooter has grown into a more all-around player under the tutelage of Atrim.

“He has calmness to him, but if you’re not playing well he’ll be on your case,” Jesse Greenwood said of the Kelly Road head coach.

The six-foot-three Greenwood complements six-foot-five Dennis Stark, the keys to the Kelly Road offense. Both are attracting plenty of attention from the UNBC Northern Timberwolves.

No matter where the numbers end, this will be Cory Atrim’s final season of coaching the Kelly Road senior boys. He has thoroughly enjoyed watching teenagers grow into young men.  The parent support has been excellent as he guided the Roadrunners through the ups and downs of a basketball season. Atrim says it’s been an amazing experience working with such a dedicated group of student athletes.

“There good on the floor, good in the classroom, there good kids,” said the Kelly Road coach.

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