The Abbotsford Panthers Grade 9 boys basketball team proved to be the best in the Fraser Valley on Saturday.
The Panthers took down the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers 76-58 at Seaquam Secondary to win the Fraser Valley championship.
That win capped off a dominant championship round that saw Abbotsford defeat G.W. Graham 72-41 on Feb. 15 and defeat Queen Elizabeth 57-48 on Feb. 16. The Panthers also beat Fraser Heights 91-27 in second-round playoff action on Feb. 14.
Abbotsford’s Brandt Lenz was named the most valuable player for the event and Jesse Davis of the Panthers was named a tournament all-star.
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The win qualifies the Panthers for the Grade 9 provincials, which run from March 1 to 4 at Port Moody’s Heritage Woods Secondary. The final draw for the tournament is still to be determined.
The Rick Hansen Hurricanes are also likely heading to the Grade 9 provincials after finishing third at the Fraser Valley regionals. Hansen defeated Queen Elizabeth 75-32 to place third. Hurricanes player Jaudon Bains was named to the tournament’s all-star team.
The W.J. Mouat Hawks finished eighth for the Grade 9 Fraser Valley event, with the MEI Eagles and Yale Lions bowing out in round one of the playoffs.
The Panthers have also qualified for the junior boys provincials, which kick off on Saturday at the Langley Events Centre. The club finished fourth at the Fraser Valley regionals after falling 55-46 to Centennial on their home court on Saturday.
The team opens the provincials against Claremont on Saturday at 1 p.m. The provincial champion will be crowned on Tuesday evening.
Both MEI and Yale were eliminated in the second round of playoffs, with Abbotsford Traditional losing in round one.
The Eagles were the top local finisher in the Grade 8 boys Fraser Valley championships, as MEI placed third after defeating Fleetwood Park 50-38 in the third-place game at Walnut Grove on Monday. Jaylen Lee of the Eagles was named a league all-star at the event.
MEI will likely earn a spot at the Grade 8 boys provincials, which occur in Pitt Meadows. Final details on that event have not yet been released.
The C.G. Howe Bulldogs finished sixth at the event, losing 53-47 to Holy Cross in the fifth-place game at Credo Christian on Monday. The W.A. Fraser Falcons were eliminated in round two of the championships on Feb. 15, while Abbotsford Middle lost in round one on Feb. 14.
The senior boys Fraser Valley championships wrap up this weekend, with several local teams still in the hunt.
Mouat pulled off a huge upset in the AAAA tier, with a 78-75 win over the defending provincial champion Walnut Grove Gators on Monday. Prav Gill of the Hawks nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to pull off the win.
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Mouat opened with a 99-53 win over Terry Fox on Feb. 16.
The Hawks took on Semiahmoo on Thursday night, but results were not available at press time.
Mouat will be the lone Abbotsford team competing at the AAAA provincials this year, as both Yale and Abbotsford Senior were eliminated in the second round.
The Lions lost 83-67 to Terry Fox on Monday to end their season, while the Panthers fell 95-72 to Guildford Park to close out their run, also on Monday.
The AAAA Fraser Valley champion will be crowned on Sunday night at the LEC.
Both MEI and Hansen are battling for AAA Fraser Valley glory after posting wins on Wednesday.
The Eagles defeated L.A. Matheson 100-68 in North Delta on Wednesday, while the Hurricanes posted a 95-53 victory over D.W. Poppy.
The Robert Bateman Timberwolves opened with a 88-52 loss to North Delta.
The three teams hit the court again on Thursday, but results were not available at press time. The top eight teams from the tier then move onto the finals in Pitt Meadows, which wrap up on March 4.
The AA conference has the Abbotsford Christian Knights and the Abbotsford Traditional Titans fighting for spots in the provincials.
The Knights edged the Titans 95-94 on Wednesday, and both teams returned to the court on Thursday.
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The AA Fraser Valley champion will be crowned on Saturday at Trinity Western University.
All three tiers’ provincial tournaments run from March 7 to 10 at the LEC.
