In the opening round, held in Langley: …………………………………………………… The Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics stomped the Nakusp Cougars 117-33 as Julio Epondulan scored 24. Epondulan was chosen player of the game for the Celtics, while Joey Wareham earned the laurels for the Cougars. …………………………………………………… The 9th-seeded Chilliwack Unity Christian Flames nipped the 8th-seeded Glenlyon-Norfolk Gryphons 66-65 as Curtis Vermeer was chosen player of the game. Ryland Connell earned the laurels for the Gryphons. Kevin Eade paced Glenlyon with 22. …………………………………………………… The 4th-seeded Kamloops St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders dusted the Sparwood Spartans 99-45 as Blaz Bozinovic scored 20. Angad Multani was chosen player of the game for St. Ann’s, while Harley Marshall earned the laurels for the Spartans. …………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Langley Christian Lightning clubbed the Fort St. James Falcons 73-40 as Evan Fisher scored 23 and nabbed 13 boards. Arthur Sicotte added 20 and Matt Rook 15. Arthur Sicotte was chosen player of the game for the Lightning, while Tim Den Engelsen earned the laurels for the Falcons. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded North Vancouver Bodwell Bruins whipped the McBride Mustangs 65-43. Mufitan Alp earned player of the game honours for the Bruins, while Matt Miskic, who scored 19, earned the laurels for the Mustangs. …………………………………………………… The Vancouver West Point Grey Wolves defeated the Osoyoos Rattlers 71-63. Jordan Gill was chosen player of the game for the Wolves, while Parmvir Brar earned the laurels for the Rattlers. …………………………………………………… The Houston Christian Wildcats stomped the Valemount Timberwolves 72-32. David Carson was chosen player of the game for the Timberwolves. …………………………………………………… The Kelowna Immaculata Mustangs clipped the Maple Ridge Christian Hornets. John Mlikotic was chosen player of the game for the Hornets after scoring 21.
In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics annihilated the Chilliwack Unity Christian Flames 92-33. Michael Pendon was chosen player of the game for the Celtics, while Michael Haan earned the laurels for the Flames.
The 5th-seeded Langley Christian Lightning dumped the 4th-seeded Kamloops St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders 67-56. Evan Fisher was chosen player of the game for the Lightning, while Jared Doherty earned the laurels for the Crusaders.
The 3rd-seeded North Vancouver Bodwell Bruins dumped the Vancouver West Point Grey Wolves 49-38.
In the last quarterfinal, the Houston Christian Wildcats eliminated the Kelowna Immaculata Mustangs 67-52. John Mlikotic paced Immaculata with 16. Dario Gini added 15. “The boys gave it everything they had, they became the heart and soul of the provincials, their work ethic and passion was continually applauded by everyone attending,” said Mustangs coach Dino Gini. “We accomplished and took everything away from this provincial tournament that we needed to in order to understand what it takes to win a title. I am so proud of them.”
In the semis, the top-seeded Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics crushed the 5th-seeded Langley Christian Lightning 84-52.
In the other semi, the Houston Christian Wildcats nipped the 3rd-seeded North Vancouver Bodwell Bruins 49-46.
In the bronze medal match, the 5th-seeded Langley Christian Lightning edged the 3rd-seeded North Vancouver Bodwell Bruins 58-57. Jason Wright scored 8 in the final quarter for the Lightning, who allowed a five-point lead to disintegrate with 25 seconds remaining, but came up with a big stop to pull out the win. The Bruins made a late charge, hitting a three-pointer and then stealing an inbounds pass for an uncontested lay-up to tie the score with 7.1 seconds remaining. But the Bruins committed a mental error, intentionally fouling Langley Christian’s Evan Fisher. Fisher, who finished with a team-high 15 points, made 1-2 free throws, giving Bodwell one last chance to win the game. The Bruins had three cracks at scoring the winning points, but all three shots came up short. “(Winning bronze) is almost better than going for first and coming in second because you end on a win,” said guard Jason Wright, who came up big with a dozen points, all in the second half. Included in that were a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers and tough inside hoop. The game was even for the first quarter with Langley Christian holding a slim two-point advantage. But the Bruins had a solid second and led by seven, 31-24, at the half. Ryan Chowdhry was dominant in the paint in the first half, scoring eight of his 12 points in the first 20 minutes. The Lightning got back in the game in the third, limiting Bodwell to seven points to take a one-point lead. But the Bruins opened the fourth quarter on a 12-2 run to build a nine-point advantage. With their offence stagnant and their medal hopes bleak, the Lightning offence tinkered with the offence, switching Wright to the opposite side of the court to free him up from Bodwell’s top two defenders. The Lightning responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Wright and point guard Arthur Sicotte to pull the team within three points. Sicotte then stole the ball and broke in for a breakaway lay-up and then after another defensive stop, Wright re-claimed the lead at 52-50 for Langley Christian with another triple. With four minutes remaining, the team did not trail again, although there was the frantic final minute where the team could not seal the victory at the foul line. The key was not to panic, said coach Matt Van Muyen. “We just had to remain calm and execute. Play tough defence, no fouls. We knew (defence) that was what helped us win all year, and that was what we were going to have to do.”
In the final, the Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics defeated the Houston Christian Wildcats 75-64. Julio Epondulan can’t remember how many points he scored. “But I know I hit six three-pointers,” he said. The tournament MVP gave just enough of a cushion to hold off the Cats when, on four straight Celtics possessions in the third, he hit four straight treys, finishing with 26 points, eight assists and four rebounds. “Being named the MVP was great but it didn’t matter the most,” said Epondulan. “We all deserved the MVP because the shots they let me take, they trusted me to take.” The Celtics, who got 23 points and eight rebounds from Paulo Santos and 12 points and eight assists from Michael Pendon, had moved down to the Single A level this season because with 76 combined Grade 11-12 boys, they were four under the maximum of 80. Santos was joined on the first all-star team by Ryan Leffers (Houston Christian), Parmvir Brar (Osoyoos), Batuhan Kutludogmus (North Van-Bodwell) and Evan Fisher (Langley Christian).
The bronze medalist Langley Christian Lightning: Ryan Chowdhry; Evan Fisher; Arthur Sicotte; Jason Wright; Matt Rook; Adrian Dykstra; Ryan Lescisin; Aaron Hansen; Josh Wever; Kenton Jarvie; Matt Hou; Justin Smith; Mark Agawin; Alvin Loss; coach Matt Van Muyen; coach Jim Wright
The silver medalist Houston Christian Wildcats: Sean Delege; Nate Ewald; Ryan Leffers; Ian MacLeod; Ches Vandenberg; Hayden Vandenberg; Darren Brienen; Randy Lieuwen; Tyler Delege; coach Marshall Duzan
The gold medalist Vancouver St. Patrick’s Celtics: Jarren Bato; Chris Branquinho; Paul Catao; John Dizon; Julio Epondulan III; Matteo Estacio; Elixir Garcia; Jesse Macht; Rafael Marucut; Michael Pendon; Jhonnel Ramos; Arvin Santos; Paolo Santos; Marvin Soriano; coach Nap Santos