Quinsy Leier canned a game-high 21 points as the host Vernon Panthers opened their PIT Classic senior girls basketball tournament with a 63-27 shellacking of Lake Country’s George Elliot Coyotes Friday.
Leier chipped in with seven rebounds for the Cats, who got a dozen points from Sage Blundell and eight from Karley Fugel.
The No. 4-ranked AA Panthers kept rolling Friday night with a 79-39 decision over the South Okanagan Hornets of Oliver.
Jenna Marion stepped up with 14 points, Jessica Harvey added 12 points and 10 rebounds, Ashtyn McKenzie had 12 points and five boards and Leier added 10 points.
“We played some very good basketball today and are very pleased with the efforts of the team,” said Panthers’ co-coach Bobby Mitchell.
“We will continue to work and get better with every game. A bigger challenge in Immaculata (Mustangs, Saturday semifinals) will require us to continue playing very good basketball.”
The Mustangs are rated No. 5 in the provincial A poll.
The Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops met the Princeton Rebels in the other semi at Kal.
The Fulton Maroons and Kal Lakers split their two games. No details were reported by either team.
In the Fulton Junior Boys Classic, the Panthers battled the Kelowna Owls in semifinal action Saturday.
VSS brushed back the South Kamloops Titans 55-49 in their Friday opener behind 26 points from John Garvie.
Zac Kronbauer sank nine points and Ty Thomas added eight for the Panthers.
The Owls reached the semis by slamming the Salmon Arm Golds 43-34.
Fulton bowed 59-46 to the Valleyview Vikings of Kamloops in their first game.
Kailum Nicholson drained 17 points for the Vikings, while Sonjay Ohand canned 13 for the Maroons.
The Golden Eagles ambushed the Pen-Hi Lakers 55-26 in other Friday action.
