Semi-finals set for BC School Sports Girls Basketball Provincial Championships

The Vernon Panthers are into the semi-final round at the BC School Sports 3A Girls Basketball Provincial Tournament at Langley Events Centre. Ryan Molag photo

There was just one upset on the second day of the BC School Sports Girls Basketball Provincial Championships at Langley Events Centre.

The semi-final round will feature the Pacific Christian Pacers (#1) vs. the Unity Christian Flames (#4) and the Sir Alexander Mackenzie Grizzlies (#2) battle the Credo Christian Kodiaks (#3) in the 1A Tournament.

The 2A Tournament saw the lone non-top four seed advance as No. 6 Britannia plays No. 2 St. Michaels University in on semi-final while No. 1 Holy Cross goes against No. 4 St. Thomas More Collegiate.

In the 3A Tournament, it will be the first-seed M.E.I. Eagles facing the Vernon Panthers (#4) and the Sa-Hali Sabres (#2) against the Duchess Park Condors (#3).

And in the 4A Tournament, one semi-final is a rematch of the 2024 championship game between No. 2 Seaquam and No. 3 Riverside, while the other has No. 1 Argyle against No. 4 Brookswood.

Daily schedules, scores and news can also be found at www.bchighschoolbasketballchampionships.com. Tickets are available for purchase and every game of all four championships is also available to stream through pay-per-view at TFSETV.ca

1A Tournament

Unity Christian Flames 42 King’s Christian Thunder 37

Back and forth for the first three quarters – the game was tied on eight separate occasions with neither team ahead by more than four – the defending champion Unity Christian Flames scored six straight points to open the final period, defeating the King’s Christian Thunder 42-37.

Anna Smiens (14 points) and Evangeline Koot (11) led the Flames in scoring while the Thunder’s Moriah Jansen topped all scorers with 16.

Pacific Christian Pacers 58 Bulkley Valley Christian Royals 25

For the second straight game, the Pacific Christian Pacers came out racing, dropping 26 points in the opening eight minutes as they cruised to a 58-25 semi-final victory over the Bulkley Valley Christian Royals.

Kealayna Tupas-Singh was the top scorer for the tournament’s No. 1 seed, with 18 points, all of two which came in the first half. Eden Greene added 14. Amaya McEwen finished with 10 to lead the Royals.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie Grizzlies 69 Ucluelet Warriors 38

Twin sisters Annika and Ayanna Parr continued their torrid scoring ways with Annika finishing with 30 points while Ayanna added 20 as the Sir Alexander Mackenzie Grizzlies won 69-38 over the Ucluelet Warriors.

Carol-Anne Tom (11) and Jaysen Touchie (10) were the top scorers for the Warriors.

Credo Christian Kodiaks 62 Cedars Christian Eagles 37

Kenzie Rapp scored 21 points and Presley Kobes added 15 as the Credo Christian Kodiaks were 62-37 winners over the Cedars Christian Eagles. Colby Konig was the top scorer for the Eagles with 17.

2A Tournament

St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights 47 Southridge Storm 33

A stingy third quarter defence saw the St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights limit the Southridge Storm to six points as they stretched their lead to 13 points in a 47-33 quarter-final win.

Demicah Arnaldo led the Knights with 16 points, a dozen of which came from beyond the arc, while Mia Beliveau added 13. Rianna Brar’s 13 points were tops for the Storm.

Holy Cross Crusaders 82 Notre Dame Jugglers 47

Alyssia Palma (21 points) and Isla Iannuzzi (20) combined for 41 points as the top-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders dominated against the Notre Dame Jugglers, winning 82-47. Solene Jackson added another 16 for Holy Cross.

The Jugglers’ Selene Quilatan had 20 points.

St. Michaels University School Blue Jags 72 Pacific Academy Breakers 28

A dominant second quarter saw the St. Michaels University School Blue Jags score 20 points on their way to a 72-28 blowout win over the Pacific Academy Breakers. Avery Geddes led the Victoria team with 17 points while teammate Charlie Anderson was right behind with 16. Omone Idanwekhai led the Breakers with eight points.

Britannia Bruins 57 Langley Christian Lightning 55

The Britannia Bruins pulled off the upset, as the sixth seed edged No. 3 Langley Christian Lightning 57-55. Bianca Padolina led the Bruins with 16 points while Chenesayi Kagande knocked five triples to finish with 15 points. Gabi Vis had 15 for Langley Christian while Payton Brunoro and Zoe Bradshaw each had 13.

3A Tournament

Vernon Panthers 51 College Heights Cougars 46

Trailing by seven points early in the third quarter, the Vernon Panthers locked down defensively, allowing just nine points the rest of the way to edge the College Heights Cougars 51-46.

Still down a basket in the fourth, the Panthers would close with eight of the final nine points to secure their spot in the final four. The trio of Adia Janke (15 points), Chloe Collins (14) and Paige Leahy (13) spearheaded the Vernon attack. Lorenn Caceres had 18 for College Heights with Kayleigh Kennedy adding 15.

M.E.I. Eagles 63 R.A. McMath Wildcats 39

The No. 1 seed M.E.I. Eagles fell behind early, but by halftime had righted the ship, taking the lead on their way to 63-39 win against the R.A. McMath Wildcats. Olivia Sidhu was the Eagles’ top scorer with 18 followed by 17 from Lola Reimer. Susu Zhang and Mirella Fernandes Boshell had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Sa-Hali Sabres 63 Robert Bateman Timberwolves 47

Nevena Nogic’s 33 points led the way as the Sa-Hali Sabres were 63-47 winners over the Robert Bateman Timberwolves. Danny Konishi was the top scorer for the Timberwolves with 17 while Sahejpreet Hundal had 16.

Duchess Park Condors 62 Mark R. Isfeld Ice 59

It was a balanced attack from the Duchess Park Condors with Devyn Bjorn scoring 14 while Zahra Ngabo (13) and Mercedes Black (10) also reaching double figures in their team’s narrow 62-59 win over the Mark R. Isfeld Ice. Elana Russell had 21 – with 15 of those coming from beyond the arc – to lead the Ice.

4A Tournament

Brookswood Bobcats 69 G.W. Graham Grizzlies 62

The Brookswood Bobcats rode a huge second half, rallying from double digits down to book a spot in the semi-final round. The Bobcats were down 19-4 after a quarter and 36-18 at the half, but Jordyn Nohr scored 30 of her 37 points in the second half to rally the ‘Cats to the 69-62 win over the G.W. Graham Grizzlies.

Hazel Phillips added 17 for Brookswood while Carmen Folka led the Grizzlies with 20.

Argyle Pipers 78 Oak Bay Breakers 72

Four players reached double figures as the top seed Argyle Pipers held off the Oak Bay Breakers 78-72. Eva Woodward and Sophie Nicholson each had 16 points for Argyle while Molly Andulajevic had 35 points for the Breakers.

Seaquam Seahawks 77 Kelowna Owls 38

A dozen 3-pointers has the Seaquam Seahawks through to the semi-final round after the defending champions blitzed the Kelowna Owls 77-38. Syra Toor nailed five of those triples, finishing with 26 points while Mackenzie Henderson finished with four 3-pointers and 19 points. Mavleen Chahal led the Owls with 15 points.

Riverside Rapids 78 Yale Lions 70

The Riverside Rapids find themselves one win away from a third straight appearance in the championship final after they held off the Yale Lions 78-70. Maliyah Mendoza scored 22 to lead the Rapids followed by Annabelle Neufeld’s 21. Aysia Kumar finished with 19 points for Yale.

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