In the opening round, held in New Westminster: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded The North Vancouver Windsor Dukes, led by 6-3 grade 11 student Megan Magee, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana and 12-0 in their league and 32-3 on the season, pounding the 16th-seeded Prince George Polarettes 95-49. Point guard Tania Haladner and guard Tiffany Chester controlled the flow of the play and fed the ball inside to Magee, who scored 34 and grabbed 14 rebounds. Shannon Hirvonen added 15 and Tiffany Chester 15. Magee told the Vancouver Sun that the Dukes balanced attack proved the difference. “We’ve got to where we can work as a team. It’s just whether we execute or not.” Coach Jim Harrison said his team depth played a large part in the win. Polarettes coach Gerry Karpenko told the Prince George Citizen “when they give you No. 1, what can you do?’ You’ve got to grin and bear it, and hope the whole weekend’s not shot. … They took up so much room under the basket, we just couldn’t get anything. They were so big, they’d just reach out and grab balls six feet away from them without moving. They’d reach over the girls for a rebound and not even touch them, they’re so tall. We couldn’t block them out at all, but we did some things well. We stole the ball from them a few times and their press didn’t really hurt us that badly.” Janice Zwiers led the Polarettes with 13. Arlene Schultz added 11. The Polarettes also included Loralyn Murdoch. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded New Westminster Hyacks defeated the 11th-seeded Nanaimo Islanders 83-68 as forward Tami Yule scored 21, Lisa Moff 20 and Nicola Hansen 20. Dori Manley led the Islanders with 29. Jacquie Brennan added 20 and Susan Tomio 11. The score was knotted at 22 after one quarter. The Hyacks led 47-33 at the half and 65-50 after three quarters as Tomio got in foul trouble in the third quarter. Islanders coach Neal McCormick told the Nanaimo Daily News that “we really missed (Tomio) on the boards. They had two big kids who were really aggressive. It was a real physical game. They were tough.” …………………………………………………… Guard Zahra Haji hit a free throw with two seconds to play as the 10th-seeded Vancouver Killarney Cougars upset the 7th-seeded Prince Rupert Rainbirds 72-71. Carla Stone paced the Cougars with 23. Nina Phillipson and Audrey Denison each scored 20 to pace Prince Rupert. The Rainbirds also included Susie Jarosch, Joanna Veira. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Salmon Arm Jewels edged the 15th-seeded Surrey Earl Marriott Mariners 73-62 as Bev Mayes scored 29, Katheirne Maxcy 12, Lara Reynolds 12 and Camille Thompson 12. The Jewels led 16-10, 32-27 and 55-42 at the quarters. Molly Donovan led the Mariners with 22. The Mariners also included Pat Voracek, Tanya Dockendorff. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Abbotsford Panthers defeated the Victoria Belmont Tomahawks 76-65 as Natalie Forstbauer scored 12 in the first quarter. Fortsbauer finished with 20. Jacquie Butt added 16, Lisa Nickle 15, Jennifer Curley 13, Nicki Van Leewen 8 and Kuldeep Deol 4. Karin Bacon led the Tomahawks with 20. The Tomahawks also included Sheri Newton, Teresa Devereaux. …………………………………………………… The Penticton Lakettes spanked the Port Coquitlam Terry Fox Ravens 71-52 as Kristen Jones scored 23. Gillian Kirk led the Ravens with 17. The Ravens also included Karina Lewis, April Hockey, Nora Czerwinski. …………………………………………………… The Vernon Panthers stomped the North Vancouver Carson Graham Eagles 90-54 as Corrine Vanderval scored 23 and Paula Dibski 23. Leila Hopkin led the Eagles with 27. The Eagles also included Brandy Howard. …………………………………………………… The Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs dumped the Cranbrook Mount Baker Trojanettes 78-66 as Tina Paterson scored 26. Jill Carley led the Trojanettes with 30. The Trojanettes (coached by Bill Stephens, assistant Andrea Pendry, manager Lisa Arsenault) also included Holly Short, Carol Fields, Lisa Ressler, Leigh-ann Chakowski, Christia Molnar, Shannon Baker, Lesley Lutes, Jodi Taylor and Tammy Janni.
In the quarterfinals, the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes thumped the Penticton Lakettes 71-50 as Megan Magee scored 30 and Shannon Hirvonen 18. Linnette Bonthoux paced the Lakettes with 14. Kristen Jones added 12.
The 2nd-seeded Salmon Arm Jewels pounded the Vancouver Killarney Cougars 88-72 as Camille Thompson scored 52, while nabbing 22 boards. Tanya Kupkee added 12, Katherine Maxcy 8 and Lara Reynolds 8, while Bev Mayes dished 10 assists. The Jewels led 21-19 after one quarter. The score was knotted at 40 at the half. Killarney led 61-60 after three quarters. Carla Stone led the Cougars with 34 (also reported as 46) before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Debbie Meyer added 15.
The Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs defeated the Vernon Panthers 75-54 as Tina Paterson scored 21, Miriam Valois 15 and Maria Klassen 14. Corrine Vanderval paced the Pantehrs with 31. Pegg Craig added 11. The Panthers (coach Ray Kimoto, assistant Barb Wilson) also included Erica Knopf, Paula Dibski.
In the last quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded Abbotsford Panthers defeated the New Westminster Hyacks 61-53 as point guard Lisa Nickle scored 8 while repeatedly breaking down the Hyacks off the dribble. Jennifer Curley paced the Panthers with 16. Natalie Forstbauer added 15, along with 10 boards, Butt 14, Van Leeuwen 4 and Nicole Gertsen 4. The Panthers led 33-22 at the half. “This is a stepping stone to what we want – the B.C. tournament title,” Nickle told the Vancouver Sun. “My dream has always been to play in the B.C.s. We didn’t make it here last year and this is my last chance to win it.” Panthers coach John Burns said “Lisa was the one who kept things on an even keel for us tonight. Jennifer played well to draw her coverage away, but Lisa was the one getting the ball to the inside players. In a sense, Lisa was very unselfish tonight. She can be one of the best outside shooters in the province.” The Hyacks rallied in the fourth quarter behind Nikola Hanson, who scored 20, but their downfall came at the free throw line. Jenny Heron added 10 for the Nyacks, who also included Tami Yule.
In the semis, the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes annihilated the Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs 72-42 as Tania Haladner scored 28 and Megan Magee 14. Tina Paterson paced the Cougars with 15.
In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Salmon Arm Jewels defeated the Abbotsford Panthers 81-73 in overtime as post Camille Thompson scored 47. Tanya Kupkee added 13 and Tandi Brown 8. The Panthers were paced by post Jennifer Curley, who scored 34 before fouling out with 17 seconds to play in regulation time, after which the teams were tied at 66. Panther starter Jacqui Butt also fouled out in the fourth frame. The Jewels led 21-17, 40-38 and 55-54 at the quarters and forced overtime at 66-66 on two free throws by Lara Reynolds with 17 seconds to play. The Panthers 6-3 post Jennifer Curley committed the foul, her fifth, so she was out of the overtime and the Jewels dominated. Angry Abbotsford co-coach Russ Hall later told the Vancouver Sun that “I’m not taking anything away from Salmon Arm … they were good actors in a contact game and drew a lot of fouls against us. My only complaint is that at this level of basketball, the officials should be prepared to call it both ways. They didn’t tonight.” Referees Ken Austeriker and David Marshall whistled 27 fouls against Abbotsford and 12 against Salmon Arm. Lisa Knickle added 22 for Abbotsford. The Panthers had taken a 66-64 lead with 37 seconds to play as Curley notched a putback on a Forstbauer missed free throw. Panthers co-coach Russ Hall told the Abbotsford News “that was the hardest fought game I’ve ever witnessed. Our kids played their hearts out. We deserved a better fate. It’s a shame the referees had to have such an impact on the game.”
In the bronze medal match, the Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs defeated the Abbotsford Panthers 53-44 as Maria Klassen scored 23 and Tina Patterson 10. Jennifer Curley led the Panthers with 21. Lisa Nickle added 13. The Panthers (coached by John Burns and Russ Hall) also included Natalie Forstbauer, Kuldeep Deol, Nicki Van Leeuwen, Jacquit Butt, Nicole Gertsen, Lisa Davison, Chris Ingram and Joanne Kazinci.
In the final between the province’s two top-rated teams, the young North Vancouver Windsor Dukes, with four of five starters in grade 11, made a mockery of their inexperience as they defeated the Salmon Arm Jewels 63-54. The Dukes used a diamond-and-one to contain Camille Thompson, holding her scoreless in the first quarter as Windsor sprinted to a 21-5 lead. Thompson eventually scored 32, and nabbed 19 boards, while Bev Mayes added 17 and Cara Reynolds 10 for Salmon Arm, but North Vancouver Windsor prevailed 63-54. Megan Magee paced the Dukes with 27. Shannon Hirvonen added 14 and point guard Tania Haladner 9. Windsor coach Jim Harrison told the Vancouver Sun that “we knew that once the ball was in Camille’s hands anywhere inside the key, it would be two points against us. We had to double team her with the diamond-and-one and take a chance that their guards wouldn’t score from the perimeter. But I though the biggest difference was that we got off to a very fast start and the Jewels didn’t. That’s what decided it in the end.” Jewels coach Terry Michell said the Dukes “did a good job” on Thompson, but also pointed to the disparity in height between the teams. “Take away Camille and our tallest player is only 5’8”. That makes a difference on the boards (rebounds). We’ve got a good outside shooting team but we’re just too small to go even up with Windsor on the boards.” Magee said “we’re not a team whose success revolves around just one player. The team concept has been drilled into us since last September. That’s what got us this far.” Jewels coach Terry Michell told the Salmon Arm Observor that “we knew we’d have to shoot better than our average game from the outside to win – we couldn’t take in on them because they’re too big. When you take average height, we were the smallest team in the tournament. That shows what teamwork can do. We played really well as a team.” The Jewels drew within seven down the stretch but missed free throws stymied the rally.
The bronze medalist Coquitlam Centennial Centaurs: Marla Klassen; Tina Patterson; Miriam Valois;
The silver medalist Salmon Arm Jewels: Bev Mayes; Camille Thompson; Tanya Kupkee; Lara Reynolds; Tandi Brown; Carla Jones; Nicole Sumner; Candace Carter; Connie Fraser; Diane Marriott; Jacqui Roberts; Susan Strethenuk; Katherine Maxcy; coach Terry Michell
The North Vancouver Windsor Dukes: Megan Magee; Tania Haladner; Tiffany Chester; Shannon Hirvonen; Diana Osborne; coach Jim Harrison;