Chris Inscho flushed 20 points as the Vernon Panthers stuffed the Windsor Dukes of Vancouver 63-52 at the St. Thomas More Knights senior AAA boys basketball tournament Friday in Burnaby.
Shelby Hartweig and John Garvie each chipped in with 16 points for the Cats, who faced Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Grizzlies in Saturday’s consolation final.
Vernon coach Glen Garvie credited the Panthers for a strong defensive effort against the big, strong Dukes.
In senior AA girls tournament action Friday at Fulton, the host Maroons split their opening games, outlasting the Pleasant Valley Saints 49-39 before falling 98-30 to the Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops.
Game MVP AJ Jacura led the Maroons with 17 points against PVSS, with Lee Richardson and Brittany Skrenek chipping in with eight and six points respectively.
Vicki Voth (14 points) and Allysha West (four points) were the high scorers for the Saints.
“This was a much better effort from our team in front a packed house in the Fulton gym,” said head coach Mike Scheller. “Our girls came out confident and executed well. It was our best effort of the season.”
Skrenek, who was returning from injury, dialed up eight points against Sa-Hali, while Taylor Ewings (20 points) and Jaida Wallat (18 points) were the main threat for the powerhouse Sabres.
“Sa-Hali is a very good team and their superiority over us showed,” said Scheller. “They are very big and we simply could not handle their size. They out rebounded us substantially and we could not get any offensive rebounds.”
Fulton’s Carlee Meausette had her best game of the season, and Rajvir Randhawa worked hard on defence.
Marilyn Bower canned 20 points as Sa-Hali stuffed PVSS 98-27 in other Friday play.
Voth, with seven points, and Aurora Cox, with six, replied for the Saints.
Ben Hladik recorded a game-high 22 points as the host Panthers toppled the Rutland Voodoos 69-64 in overtime at the Subway junior boys tourney Friday at VSS.
Seth Blundell, with 13 points, and Nathan Spark, with a dozen, also had big games for Vernon.
Replying for the Voodoos were Tommy Nguyen (14 points), Tristan Hawthorne (12) and Justin Isley (nine).
Co-players of the game for VSS were Spark and Hladik.
Jakob Marshall stepped up with 20 points as VSS bounced Sa-Hali 63-52 in yet another OT affair.
Blundell (14 points) and Charis Ondrik (seven) also got in on the offence.
“I not sure how often it happens that a team plays two overtime games in one night and wins both games, but we managed to do it tonight,” said VSS head coach Mike Sawka.
“We made big shots when we had to and took advantage of most opportunities that came our way.”
VSS advanced to Saturday’s final of the six-team playdown.
In other Subway action Friday, Fulton bowed 66-37 to the Salmon Arm Golds. No score was available from Fulton’s Friday-nighter against the South Okanagan Hornets of Oliver.
The Kalamalka Lakers opened the Valleyview Vikings senior AA boys tourney in Kamloops with a pair of impressive wins.
Tye Oddy and Ajay Jhajj (six rebounds) each supplied a dozen points as Kal brushed of the David Thompson Lakers of Invermere 59-34 in their opening tilt.
Kalamalka led 25-3 after one quarter and never looked back.
Kal then used a balanced attack to ground the Seaton Sonics 66-43 in their second tilt.
Lucas Ross, Oddy and Chris Gallant each drained 15 points for the Lakers, who also got six assists and six steals from Ross.
Kal’s Nick Stanhope grabbed 11 rebounds and 10 points for a double-double.
The Charles Bloom Timberwolves took their first two games at the Hope Hoopfest senior boys tournament on Friday.
In their first game, Bloom shook off some travel legs to overcome a 12-point deficit and upend the Agassiz Chieftains 62-58.
Tied 31-31 at the half, Bloom took the lead for good in the middle of the third quarter. Peter Ufimzeff led all scorers with 21 points and added six rebounds.
Grade 10 call-up Jared Sexsmith dropped 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Nick Michaud (six points), another Grade 10 addition, earned game MVP for his on-court poise.
The T-Wolves then dominated the Mount Sentinel Wildcats of South Slocan 81-53.
Ufimzeff (seven boards) delivered a game-high 24 points, while Sexsmith (nine rebounds) and Mathew Grahn each canned 19 points. James Field knocked down 14 points and six boards. Grade 10 rookie Cohen Grace added four points, eight rebounds and great tenacity defensively.
“We have developed defensively, but I thought that we really began to do a lot of things right offensively tonight,” said coach Nathan Lee.
“We played with poise and attacked the rim assertively, putting a lot of pressure on their defence. We’re distributing very well and I am very happy with the way we are coming together as a group.”
Bloom took on the host Hope Mustangs Saturday.
Meanwhile, in CIS Canada West men’s action, Vernon’s Will Ondrik recorded a dozen points as the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack fell 74-70 to the host Brandon Bobcats Friday in Manitoba.
Thompson Rivers, now 7-5, opened its CIS Prairie road swing Thursday with a 100-95 OT win over the Regina Cougars Thursday.
Ondrik collected 15 points against the Cougars.
