The VSS Panthers split their Friday games at the Immaculata Mustangs Invitational Senior Girls Basketball Tournament in Kelowna.
Lonny Mazurak’s Cats iced the Okanagan Mission Huskies 70-52 in a scrappy opener with game MVP Jordan Korol draining 22 points and Jordyn Cullum canning 19.
“We pushed out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter, but couldn’t shake the pesky Huskies until the fourth quarter,” said Mazurak.
Rebekah Salway was named top defensive player for VSS.
Later Friday, the Panthers bowed 85-49 to No. 1-ranked Duchess Park Condors of Prince George.
Korol sank 18 points and player of the game Cullum added a dozen. Katie Macgillivray was named top defensive player.
“They were better than us in all facets of the game,” said Mazurak. “They definitely gave us things to work on at next week’s practices.”
The Panthers faced Princess Margaret Mustangs of Penticton for third place Saturday.
In North Zone league play Wednesday night, Cullum flushed 18 points as the Panthers zapped the Fulton Maroons 79-49.
Korol fired 15 points and Salway rang up 11 as VSS went on an early 13-2 run and added 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.
VSS toppled Fulton 44-15 in junior girls action with Brianna Falk earning 10 points and Hayley Goselin bagging eight.
In grade 8 girls action, Kelsey Falk collected 21 as the Panthers dispatched Fulton 57-12. Katie Peters added six points.
Meanwhile, Fulton faced St. Ann’s Crusaders of Kamloops Saturday for third place at the Valleyview Vikings Senior AA Boys Tournament in Kamloops.
The Maroons, ranked No. 7, fell 72-62 to No. 9 Valleyview Friday night.
Tye Kitzman drained 20 points and six rebounds, Brandon Isaac had 14 points and Cory Ang and Karanmeet Khatra each had 11 points against the Vikes.
“We led the whole game until they tied it with two-and-a-half minutes left,” said Fulton head coach Dale Olson. “We didn’t hit anything at the end and they did, which has been the story all tournament, and is typical of the first tournament after Christmas.”
Earlier Friday, Fulton grounded the Salmon Arm Golds 68-52.
Kitzman recorded 28 points and 13 boards, Isaac canned 18 points and eight boards and Khatra had eight points and six rebounds.
The Maroons opened Thursday by grounding the fifth-ranked Golden Golden Eagles 64-52 behind 26 points and eight rebounds from Isaac.
Kitzman recorded 22 points and 15 boards, while Ang chipped in with 12 points and eight assists.
