Rideau District Lions went a long way to face a familiar opponent in the bronze medal game of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations girls A basketball championship Saturday afternoon in Windsor.
The outcome was familiar, too.
As they did in the Eastern Ontario final, the Lions defeated North Grenville of Kemptville, this time 47-29.
The medal represented an improvement for the Lions, who were eliminated in the quarter-finals at OFSAA a year ago.
Saturday morning, Rideau, the fourth-seeded team in the tournament, fell 34-29 to No. 1 seed Jean-Vanier of Welland. It was Rideau’s first loss in four games at the 16-team competition, and it was one in which the lead changed hands throughout: Rideau led by a point after the first quarter; trailed by five, 15-10, at halftime, but had regained a 22-21 lead going into the final period.
Vanier prevailed, thanks to a 15-7 fourth quarter.
Vanier went on to beat the host team, seventh-seeded Lajeunesse, 44-40, in the gold medal game.