Fresh off their second tournament victory of the season, the Penticton Secondary Lakers senior girls basketball squad ran into some tough opposition Wednesday.
Ranked fourth in the province, the Kelowna Secondary School Owls proved to be too much for the Lakers, who dropped a 100-37 decision in league play.
“We came out on our heels, which is not the way you want to against such a talented and confident team,” said Penticton head coach Chris Terris.
According to the coach, the Owls’ Kennedy Dickie, who is headed to Eastern Washington University next year, proved to be a “tremendously difficult match-up for anyone.”
Dickie scored her team’s first 11 points including three, three-point shots and a difficult layup.
The Lakers have two league games remaining, Mount Boucherie and Salmon Arm, and if they win those matches they will finish in third and host a playoff game.
Pen-High will also be the site of the Okanagan Valley Championships Feb. 14 and 15.
The team is currently four and four in league play and 14 and six overall.
Their only losses were to ranked teams, twice to the Owls (#4 AAA), twice to Okanagan Mission Secondary (#9 AAA) and once each to Vernon Secondary (#8 AA) and Duchess Park of Prince George (#5 AA).
In the game against the Owls, Jaden Yamamoto and Monica Nieves Cabrera each had 11 points and four and two rebounds respectively.
Cassie Hannon had seven points and three steals, while Kali Loewen added six points and six rebounds.
Related: Okanagan high school team racks up a pair of league victories
In the tournament win in Vancouver, Nieves Cabrera, of the Canary Islands, one of two international students on the Lakers, was named the most valuable player for her efforts.
“Monica had a great weekend, leading us in assists and making key plays at both ends of the floor,” said Terris. “She’s a very creative player. We were thrilled to see her recognized as the tournament MVP.
“The girls had a great weekend. We shared the ball well offensively and were really active defensively. When they’re aggressive and active, girls like Monica, Cassie, Kalli Doell and Maria Iannone are tough to play against at the top of our defence.”
Loewen and Hannon, who had 14 and 11 points in the 61-31 Penticton win over Point Grey in the championship game, were named tournament all-stars. Yamamoto was the Lakers player of the game.
Pen-High downed Seaquam 66-47 in the semi final. Hannon, player of the game, had 13 points and three assists.
Loewen added 12 points and 11 rebounds, Nieves Cabrera, 12 points, three rebounds, four assists and Hayman, eight points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Lakers opened the tournament with a 73-28 win over Richmond.
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Loewen led all Lakers shooters with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Hayman was player of the game adding 10 points, nine rebounds and six steals, Nieves Cabrera nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and Emma Terris and Hannon contributed nine points each.
Next up for the Lakers is Rutland Voodoo Pre-Playoff Tournament Friday and Saturday.
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Mark Brett | Reporter
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