Two Surrey schools are in the semifinal round of the B.C. Boys 4A High School Basketball Championship at the Langley Events Centre.
The Tamanawis Wildcats and Holy Cross Crusaders have each advanced past the quarterfinal round for the first time in their schools’ history, the Wildcats defeating the Burnaby South Rebels 74-60 while Holy Cross stopped the Vancouver College Fighting Irish 77-60.
Tamanawis, seeded first in the 16-team tournament, led the Rebels by 13 points after one quarter and were up 46-30 by halftime. Burnaby South, the ninth-seed, shaved five points off the deficit in the second half but couldn’t get any closer. Sukhjot Bains netted 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Wildcats, with Sukhraj Biring adding 17 points. Harjot Grewal also scored in double figures, netting 13 points.
The Crusaders dominated the boards against Vancouver College by a 55-26 margin, which allowed them to come from behind for the win. Holy Cross, seeded No. 6, trailed third-seed Vancouver College 26-14 after the first quarter, but cut the deficit to 36-34 by halftime.
Paced by 22 points by Jauquin Bennet-Boire, the Crusaders were up 54-50 after three quarters before outscoring the Fighting Irish by 13 points in the final period.
Taylor Browne and Bright Dododza each had a double double for the Crusaders, Browne scoring 18 points and collecting 10 rebounds while Dododza netting 16 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Johnathon Kongbo contributed 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Wildcats will face the No. 2 Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs at 6:45 pm tonight (Friday), while the Crusaders will tip-off against Fraser Valley rival and sixth-ranked Sardis Falcons at 8:30 pm.
