The finals are set for the 56th annual Snowball Classic basketball tournament.
New York’s Mount Vernon Knights battle the Kelowna Owls tomorrow (Saturday) at 8 p.m. at Abbotsford Senior Secondary, but the Knights got a little bit of a scare from Langley’s Walnut Grove Gators on Friday.
The Knights edged the Gators 106-90, but Walnut Grove came out strong in the first half. They led for most of the first quarter, and Mount Vernon finished the quarter up 24-23. They turned on the defensive intensity in the second quarter, frustrating the Gators with their smothering defence and were up 59-49 at the half.
Mount Vernon kept pace in the second half, outscoring Walnut Grove 57-41. Player of the game went to guard Noah Morgan, who scored 43 points.
The other semi-final game saw the Kelowna Owls edge the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 88-78. The game went down to the wire, with the Owls pulling ahead for good in the final five minutes.
Thursday’s action saw the St. George’s Saints defeat the MEI Eagles 89-59, the Yale Lions beat the GW Graham Grizzlies 102-87, Kitsilano defeat the WJ Mouat Hawks 87-79, Kelowna over the Saints 113-80, the Bullldogs beat the Lions 94-80, the Gators down Kitsilano 88-64 and Mount Vernon beating the host Abbotsford Panthers 125-53.
Friday featured the Hawks beating the Bateman Timberwolves 80-60, the Grizzlies defeating the Eagles 91-58, the Panthers beating Kitsilano 83-76 and the Lions beating the Saints 107-104.
Wednesday’s tournament opener saw the Panthers beat the Timberwolves 78-70.
Saturday’s games include: MEI vs. Bateman at 10:45 a.m., Mouat vs. GW Graham at 12:30 p.m., St. George’s vs. Kitsilano at 2:15 p.m., Abby vs. Yale at 4 p.m., Walnut Grove vs. Churchill at 6 p.m. and the final game between Mount Vernon and Kelowna at 8 p.m.
Check back tomorrow at abbynews.com for more coverage from the event.
For video footage of the first few days of the event, click here.
