In the end, the GW Graham Grizzlies were just too much.
The Langley Christian Lightning were facing the top-seed Grizzlies in Saturday’s Fraser Valley senior girls AA championship game at LCS and it would be the Chilliwack visitors leaving Langley with a 71-40 victory.
LCS head coach Danielle Gardner was OK with her team’s second-place finish.
“We are a very young team so for us just making it to the championship game and getting into provincials was a big goal for us,” she said.
The Lightning have four Grade 12s,. three Grade 11s and five Grade 10s on their roster, and three of their starting five are junior-aged players.
By comparison, the Grizzlies are a strong veteran presence and are led by Canadian junior national team player Deanna Tuscherer. The most valuable player of the Fraser Valley championships, Tuscherer was unstoppable in Saturday’s game, finishing with 36 points while Jaya Bannerman had 25 points.
“Graham just shot the lights out. Their two big players were phenomenal. They couldn’t miss. They are just a good, solid team,” Gardner said.
Makenna Gardner led the Lightning with 13 points.
Gardner and Ava Krepp were named Fraser Valley first team all-stars while Hailey Van Roekel was a second team selection.
In LCS’ other Fraser Valley games, they bet Holy Cross 74-44 in the quarter-finals and won 65-50 over Southridge in the semifinals.
Langley Fundamental was knocked out in the first round of the Fraser Valleys, falling 69-33 to Holy Cross.
Both Langley Christian and the Grizzlies advance to the B.C. AA senior girls provincial championships, which run Feb. 28 to March 3 at the Langley Events Centre.
LCS is seeded eighth for the tournament and they open against No. 9 Whistler on Wednesday at 10:15 a.m.
gary ahuja
