Kayli Sartori added to her already-impressive 2015-16 awards haul on Saturday evening, as she was named the female university athlete of the year at the Basketball BC Hall of Fame and Awards Gala in Vancouver.
The fourth-year guard/forward out of W.J. Mouat Secondary in Abbotsford was selected from a group of finalists which also included Diana Lee (UBC Thunderbirds) and Emma Piggin (Thompson Rivers WolfPack).
“It’s a special honour for Kayli, and our program,” Cascades head coach Al Tuchscherer said. “There are so many great athletes playing on university teams in the province, and it’s nice for her to be recognized for the outstanding season she had.”
Sartori becomes the first Cascade to be recognized as Basketball BC’s female university athlete of the year. The program, though, did have several players win the female college athlete of the year award during the Cascades’ days in the BCCAA (now known as the PacWest). Honourees included Sue Parke (1993-94, 1994-95), Denise Rehman (1995-96), Martha Craig (1996-97), Lauren Alonzo (2002-03) and Jamie Born (2003-04, 2004-05).
Sartori averaged 18.4 points per game to win the Canada West women’s basketball scoring title this past season. She also ranked among the league leaders in rebounding (7.7 per game, 11th), assists (4.5 apg, fourth), blocks (1.5 bpg, fourth) and steals (2.3 spg, eighth), and was subsequently named a Canada West first team all-star, a CIS second team All-Canadian, and UFV’s female athlete of the year.
Two other Cascades hoopsters were also nominated for Basketball BC awards. Kevon Parchment, a fifth-year forward on the men’s basketball team, was a finalist for the male university athlete award, and incoming recruit Riley Braich was up for the high school male athlete honour.
Parchment, a fifth-year guard from Scarborough, Ont., wrapped up his career in style, earning Canada West first team all-star and CIS second team All-Canadian nods after finishing among the conference leaders in points (17.5 per game, 10th), assists (5.2 apg, second), rebounds (9.1 rpg, sixth), blocks (1.2 bpg, 10th) and steals (1.6 spg, 17th). He was also named Canada West defensive player of the year and UFV’s male athlete of the year.
Parchment, Jordan Jensen-Whyte (UBC Thunderbirds) and Josh Wolfram (Thompson Rivers WolfPack) were the finalists for the Basketball BC award, and Wolfram was the winner.
Braich was instrumental as Abbotsford’s Yale Lions won the B.C. 4A high school championship in 2014-15, and he turned in another strong performance as a senior in 2015-16. The sharpshooting point guard led the Lions back to the B.C.’s, and averaged 35 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game for the season. He also earned all-star honours at five tournaments, including the Fraser Valleys.
Braich, Hunter Hughes of Southridge Secondary and Justin McChesney of Charles Hays Secondary were the high school male athlete finalists, and Hughes won the award.
