Morning Star Staff
The VSS Panthers pulled off a threepeat in the Okanagan Valley Senior AA Girls Basketball Championships.
VSS brushed back the Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops 66-51 in Saturday night’s final at Princess Margaret Secondary in Penticton. It was the third straight year the same teams met for the Okanagan titlt.
Karley Fugel ignited the Panthers with 21 points, while Kristy Fugel supplied 13 and Megan Prentice added nine. Karley Fugel was named the tournament MVP and Megan Prentice and Jordan Korol were named all-stars.
The Panthers advance to the provincials, March 5 -8 in Langley, for the 11th straight year.
This speaks volumes about the girls program that VSS runs,” said assistant coach John Keeley, in his first year alongside Lonny Mazurak. “People do not understand how hard it is for a team to qualify for the provincials even once or twice in a decade but for a team to do so for 11 straight years is a testament to the hard work put in by all of the coaches, athletes and parents from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
“This is especially true for Bobby Mitchell (now with the UBCO Heat) and Lonny Mazurak who will both be embarrassed by this shoutout. These coaches are two of the best in the province and they really should be recognized for the hard work and dedication they have put into the VSS program over the last number of years.”
Brittany Skrenek of the Fulton Maroons also made the all-star team, pocketing 18 points in a 54-48 consolation side win over the Okanagan Mission Huskies of Kelowna.
Megan Rouault collected 20 points and Naz Wurz added eight.
Earlier, Fulton got 15 points from Lee Richardson in a 59-41 stuffing of Pleasant Valley Saints. AJ. Jacura added 13 and Skrenek had 12.
Said Maroon’s coach Mike Scheller: “I was really happy with the way our girls competed; we simply played our best basketball of the year at the end of the season and the girls should be proud of their effort, finishing fourth after coming in as a six seed.”
Meanwhile, Fulton took the tourist route but have qualified for the senior AA provincials in Langley.
Michael Rouault and Tye Kitzman each flushed 18 points as host Fulton grounded the Princess Margaret Mustangs 64-41 Saturday night for the third B.C. berth.
Riley Beauchamp rung up 14 points for the Maroons, who earlier in the day held off the Kalamalka Lakers 89-67 behind 23 points from Kitzman.
Beauchamp bagged 22 points, Rouault drained 20, Cory Ang-Hamilton sank a dozen and Darrien Broomfield pocketed eight for Fulton.
Alwien Dippenaar dialed up 16 points for the Lakers, while Ajay Jhajj supplied a dozen and Tye Oddy added 11. Lucas Ross and Nick Stanhope each provided 10.
The Valleyview Vikings of Kamloops outlasted the South Okanagan Hornets of Oliver 71-69 in the Valley final.
In senior AAA boys play, the Panthers finished league play Saturday in Kamloops with two wins which assures them the No. 1 seed going into the Valley championships at VSS.
The Panthers grounded the NorKam Saints 83-73 Saturday morning with John Garvie flushing 41points and Chris Inscho and Andy Hladik adding 12 apiece.
In the afternoon tilt, Shelby Hartwig supplied 17 points and 16 rebounds in a 59-47 win over the South Kam Saints.
The Panthers meet the Okanagan Mission Huskies of Kelowna in their Valley opener, 8:45, at the Panther Pit.
The Grade 8 Panther girls are going to the provincials, Maerch 5-8, in Pitt Meadows after stopping Fulgton 48-21 Saturday.
Kathryn Rieb pulled down a dozen points and Lydia Lavigne sank 11 for the Panthers. Brianne Bertram and Haylee Gosselin each added six.
VSS got strong defence from Taya Shepherd, Maddy Smith and Delaney Tetrault, while Sara McGillivray delivered some splendid passes.
“The girls played a very strong defensive game,” said Cats’ coach Dave Tetrault. “It was truly a team effort with many players having their best game of the year. We look forward to playing the toughest teams in the province.”
