In the opening round at the Langley’s Trinity Western University: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Vanderhoof Nechako Valley Vikings defeated the 16th-seeded Saltspring Gulf Island Scorpions 63-58. “The kids would like to see us win because of me retiring,” Vikings coach and Oregon native Ron Van Dolah told the Vancouver Province. “But I told them that I’ve already coached two provincial championships so they shouldn’t worry about me. If they want to do it for somebody, they should want to do it for themselves.” Chas Hutchins led the Vikings with 16. Vic Baker led Gulf Islands with 15. …………………………………………………… The 11th-seeded Qualicum Beach Kwalikum Kondors dusted the 6th-seeded Kelowna K.L.O. Cougars 79-62 as Chris Reid scored 23. Robyn English led the Cougars with 26. The Cougars (coached by Doug Sperling) also included Bryan Chabeniuk, Peter Sperling. …………………………………………………… The 10th-seeded Invermere David Thompson Lakers dispatched the 7th-seeded North Vancouver Windsor Dukes 75-70 as Lonnie Vandiest scored 19. Garrett Ainsworth led the Dukes with 25. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions clocked the 15th-seeded Hazelton Spartans 87-37 as Gary Bowers scored 19. The Spartans (coached by Maurizio Basso) included Nathan Coombs, Neal Foord, Stuart Barnes, Eric West, Josh Wilson. …………………………………………………… The 8th-seeded Castlegar Stanley Humphries Rockers defeated the 9th-seeded Abbotsford Fraser Valley Christian Falcons 65-49 as Brad Hildebrand scored 18, including 16 in the second half. The Falcons (coached by Dave Nieuwsma) included Anton Van Dyk, Dennis Herfst (who suffered a broken ankle in the Fraser Valley playoffs). ………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics pounded the 12th-seeded Langley Aldergrove Totems 98-73. Matt Borck led the Totems with 27. The Totems (coached by Tom Antil) also included Mark Stockbrocks, Tony Van Aert, Joey Maksymiw, Steve Weber, Matt Borck. ………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Oliver Southern Okanagan Hornets spanked the 13th-seeded Surrey Elgin Park Orcas 77-54. ………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders torched the 14th-seeded Armstrong Pleasant Valley Saints 89-53. The Saints (coached by Ross Shannon) included Jesse L’Elliott, David Keith, Jared Melvin, Doug Hartle, Kyle Melvin.
In the quarterfinals, the 2nd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions thrashed the 10th-seeded Invermere David Thompson Lakers 97-64.
The 3rd-seeded Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the 11th-seeded Qualicum Beach Kwalikum Kondors 81-73.
The 5th-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics dumped the Oliver Southern Okananagan Hornets 87-72.
In the last quarterfinal, the top-seeded Vanderhoof Nechako Valley Vikings defeated the 8th-seeded Castlegar Stanley Humphries Rockets 87-50 as Austin Mueller scored 16.
In the semis, the 3rd-seeded Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the 2nd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions 74-70 in overtime.
In the other semi, the top-seeded Vanderhoof Nechako Valley Vikings clipped the 5th-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick Celtics 88-75.
In the bronze medal match, the 2nd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions defeated the 5th-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics 71-61.
In the final, the top-seeded Vanderhoof Nechako Valley Vikings delivered a last hurrah for coach Ron Van Dolah as the veteran coach and Oregon native retired after 39 years at the helm and roughly 1,500 victories. The Vikings gave him a going-away gift in the form of a 77-73 overtime victory over the 3rd-seeded Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders. Tournament MVP Kent Bergstrom paced the Vikings with 35, Clint Masse added 17. “It was a really special time for me,” Van Dolah told the Prince George Citizen. “It was a storybook ending, in my last year to have the kids take it all the way. It was pretty special.” Matt Fawcett came off the bench nailed a trey with 12 seconds to play but Holy Cross answered with a trey at the buzzer to knot the score at 64 and force overtime. In overtime, Austin Mueller fouled out and Chas Hawkins suffered an injury. But Steve Box and Dwaine Geisbrecht came off the bench. Box hit two free throws and Geisbrech notched the insurance winner. Van Dolah said “it was close all the way. I don’t recall there being more than five or six points difference all game long. … We had a rough start to the week with Josh Whidden being on antibiotics all weekend after catching a chest infection. That took its toll. … I tried to reflect on the whole time as the game was going on, all those years. … It’s been just great.” Crusaders coach Gianni Risi told the Surrey/North Delta News Leader that “our motto heading into the tournament was 16 quarters to go. It should have been 17 but I didn’t expect an overtime.”
The bronze medalist Victoria Lambrick Park Lions: Gary Bowers; Andrew Pitre; Aaron Dow; Adrian Gerber; coach Ed Somers
The silver medalist Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders: Matthew Lechasseur; Christian Wedening; John MacDonald; Kris Starczynowski; coach Gianni Risi
The gold medalist Vanderhoof Nechako Valley Vikings: Kent Bergstrom; Matt Fawcett; Josh Whidden; Austin Mueller; Clint Masse; Darryl Moe; Dwaine Giesbrecht; Jared Whidden; Tim Johnson; Al Mathew; Steven Box; Matt Colling; Richard Wheeler; Chas Hutchins; coach Ron Van Dolah; assistant Gary Simrose