Final 8 set for Girls 4A championships

 

Walnut Grove Gators\’ Kyanna Knodel (left) and Lyla McKay fight for a loose ball with a member of the Okanagan Mission Huskies during opening round play at the BC School Sports 4A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships. Ryan Molag photo

The biggest upset among any of the tiers  on day one came in the BC School Sports Girls 4A Basketball Provincial Championships as the No. 12 seed Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers were 77-75 winners over the No. 5 Burnaby Central Wildcats at the Langley Events Centre. The rest of the games followed form setting up the quarter-final round where Riverside faces Kelowna, Okanagan Mission battles Lord Tweedsmuir, Argyle draws Yale and Seaquam will take on G.W. Graham.

The first of the quarter-final games begins at 1:45pm.

#1 Riverside Rapids 102 #16 Mount Baker Wild 24

Avery Sussex scored 34 points to lead the defending champion and No. 1 seed Riverside Rapids to an opening round 102-24 win over the Mount Baker Wild. Jorja Hart added 19 while Isla Kelly chipped in with 15 for the Rapids. Grade 10 guard Cyrene Pecpec had eight points to lead the Wild.

#8 Kelowna Owls 70 #9 Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 56

After the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs pulled to within four points early in the fourth quarter, the Kelowna Owls dominated the rest of the period, pulling away for the 70-56 win the 8-9 matchup of the opening round. The senior trio of Morgan Clark (16 points), Emma Pinkerton (14) and Keira Eves (13) led a three-headed attack for the Owls while Grade 11 guard Ava Thiessen added nine, with all her points coming from beyond the arc. Louise Dykstra was unstoppable for the Bulldogs as the Grade 12 guard/forward finished with 30 points.

#4 Okanagan Mission Huskies 75 #13 Walnut Grove Gators 54

Two lengthy scoring runs proved to be the difference as the Okanagan Mission Huskies fended off an upset-attempt by the No. 13 Walnut Grove Gators. The Huskies were down 16-7 before they delivered a game-altering 26-2 run. To their credit, the Gators did have a rally of their own, cutting it to a six-point advantage, only to have the Huskies close with 15 of the final 17 points in a 75-56

Trailing 16-7 against an upset-seeking Walnut Grove Gators squad, the No. 4 Okanagan Mission Huskies were unstoppable in the second quarter with a game-changing 26-2 run. The Gators did have one rally of their own, cutting it to a six-point game in the fourth, only to have the Huskies score the final 15 points of the contest.

#12 Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers 77 No. 5 Burnaby Central Wildcats 75

The biggest upset of day one came courtesy of the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers who knocked off the No. 5 seed Burnaby Central Wildcats 77-75. The Panthers were down three points with 10 minutes to play before taking their first lead at 61-59 since scoring the game’s first basket. Grade 10 guard Hanna Grewal had 27 points, Grade 11 guard Saavyn Mann had 21 and Grade 11 guard chipped in with 19. The Wildcats’ Ankita Chopra led all scorers with 30 and Sophia Morton finished with 17.

#6 G.W. Graham Grizzlies 68 #11 Charles Best Blue Devils 54

Ashlyn Adams scored 18 and Jada Paquin added 16 as the G.W. Graham Grizzlies were 68-54 winners over the Charles Best Blue Devils. Jessica Parkinson led the Blue Devils with 18 while Denise Mendoza had 17.

#3 Seaquam Seahawks 94 #14 Claremont Spartans 38

The Seaquam Seahawks were dominant on both sides of the court, holding the Claremont Spartans to 10 points in the second half of a 94-38 victory. Camryn Tait had 18 points, Syra Toor scored 17 (including five three-pointers) and Iria Etxezarraga added 14. All three are in Grade 10 for a young Seahawks squad which features just two Grade 12s. Claremont was led by 19 points from Iva Kalabric.

#7 Yale Lions 84 #10 Oak Bay Breakers 47

The Yale Lions opened with the game’s first 24 points as they cruised to the 84-47 victory over the Oak Bay Breakers. Six Lions players reached double figures with Ella Bonn’s 20 leading the way while Kendal Dueck was second on the team with 16. Eden Henderson was tops on the Breakers with 20.

#2 Argyle Pipers 106 #15 North Peace Grizzlies 24

The Argyle Pipers were 106-54 winners over the North Peace Grizzlies to close out the 4A opening round bracket. Reece Tam and Mariia Maydan each had 19 for the Pipers with Hayley Copes scoring 12 for the Grizzlies.

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