No. 7 Lions crash final four, joining Rapids, Huskies and Seahawks

Yale Lions’ Maeva Carnahan battles down low with Argyle Pipers’ Reese Tam during BC School Sports 4A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships quarter-final action on Feb. 29. Ryan Molag photo

The seventh-seeded Yale Lions pulled off the shocker, taking down the No. 2 seed Argyle Pipers in the biggest upset of the day among all four tiers at the BC School Sports Girls Basketball Provincial Championships. It sets up a semi-final showdown with the No. 3 ranked Seaquam Seahawks while the No. 1 seed (and defending champion) Riverside Rapids face the No. 4 Okanagan Mission Huskies.

#1 Riverside Rapids 78 #8 Kelowna Owls 32

A 35-point first quarter had the Riverside Rapids off and running into the final four. The No. 1 seed and defending champs were 78-32 winners over the Kelowna Owls in the quarter-final round.

And it was a scoring by committee approach for a second straight game with Avery Sussex’s 20 points leading the charge while Isla Kelly added 18 and Jorja Hart scored 15. Cali Ausenhus with 10 points was the top scorer for the Owls.

#4 Okanagan Mission Huskies 86 #12 Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers 78

The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers made a late push, cutting a double-digit deficit down to eight, but could get no closer as the Okanagan Mission Huskies booked a spot in the semi-final round.

Aside from an early deficit in the opening quarter, the Huskies were playing with the lead. Grade 10 guard Shae Sandhu had a monster third quarter in the victory as she scored all 16 of her points in that 10-minute stretch while Presley Hopf led the team with 22 points. Jada Burden and Faith Hunter each added 18. Saavyn Mann’s 27 points were tops for Kelowna.

#7 Yale Lions 74 #2 Argyle Pipers 66

A second-quarter surge helped the Yale Lions to an upset victory as they knocked out the tournament’s No. 2 seed, the Argyle Pipers 74-66. Yale was ahead 23-17 before scoring 14 unanswered points. The Lions led by as many as 24 late in the first half. The Pipers would claw their way back to get within seven points but could get no closer.

Ava Heppner had 29 points for Yale while Maeva Carnahan added 18. Reece Tam finished with 28 for Argyle.

#3 Seaquam Seahawks 87 #6 G.W. Graham Grizzlies 60

The Seaquam Seahawks jumped out to a 24-point lead at the half as they defeated the G.W. Graham Grizzlies 87-60. Camryn Tait had 19 points and Syra Toor scored 17 as five Seahawks scored in double figures. Emily Sprott had 17 for the Grizzlies.