High school gyms will be bursting with basketball.
The season got underway a couple of weeks ago, but now it’s really getting into full swing, with senior boys’ league play beginning today (Dec. 11).
The senior AA boys’ league includes five local teams this year – the Wellington Wildcats, Woodlands Eagles, Cedar Spartans, Nanaimo District Islanders and Barsby Blazers – all in action tonight.
Wellington’s senior boys played tournament games this past weekend, participating in the St. Michael’s University School jamboree on Friday and Saturday. Welly lost 68-56 to Lambrick Park to open the tournament, then fell 78-54 to host SMUS before finishing the weekend with a 48-47 victory over Mark Isfeld.
Also in action this past weekend were the Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAA girls, who hosted a tournament at the Dover Bay Secondary School gym.
Dover started the tourney Friday with a 65-30 win over Parkland, but got rolled over in the semifinals 72-29 by the Mandurah Magic, a touring team from Perth, Australia. Dover’s girls defeated G.P. Vanier 67-59 in Saturday’s third-place game.
McKenzie Nicks led the Dolphins in scoring all three games, with 21 points, 15 points and 22 points, respectively. Jenna Ziemanski tallied 19 in the win over Parkland and 17 in the win over Vanier. Madison Rushton scored 10 against Vanier.
Dover coach Dale Nicks said after the Parkland game that his team found a way to have success against a taller team.
“Once we started running and our trap started to work, I think they started to get confidence and with that success they started to roll,” he said.
GAME ON … Dover’s senior AAA girls host Carihi tonight (Dec. 11) at 5:30 p.m. … Tonight’s feature senior AA girls’ game sees Woodlands host Barsby. Also tonight, Cedar hosts Kwalikum, Wellington hosts Isfeld and NDSS hosts Ballenas. All those games tip off at 5 p.m. … In senior AA boys’ league play, the Blazers host the Wildcats, the Spartans host the Islanders and the Eagles travel to play the Ladysmith ’49ers. The games tip off at 6:30 p.m.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
