In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The top-seeded Ladysmith 49ers got all they could handle from the 16th-seeded Penticton Princess Margaret Mustangs but finally prevailed 68-60. A 6-0 Ladysmith run in the fourth quarter proved the difference. The Mustangs took a 21-14 lead after one quarter and were ahead 34-32 at the half, largely on the play of 6-5 grade 11 guard Dawson Eden, who scored 9 of his 15 points in the first quarter. Brian Arbuthnot led Prince Margaret with 16. Grade 11 guard David Robinson led Ladysmith with 26, including 5-6 from the line in the fourth quarter. Jaret Radford added 15. …………………………………………………… The Prince George College Heights Cougars dumped the Langley D.W. Poppy Redhawks 73-55 with a dominant 22-7 second quarter. College Heights led 39-20 at the half. Senior guard Jeff Sampson hit four treys en route to a 30-point effort. Taylor Attree added 16. Wes Barker paced Poppy with 21. Rory Gibbons added 16. ……………………………………………………………………………… The 5th-seed Nanaimo Cedar Spartans defeated the North Vancouver Windsor Dukes 103-87 after exploding for 66 points in the second half. The Spartans trailed 24-16 after one quarter but then 6-8 Will Galick got on track. He finished with 48 points, including 30 in the third quarter. Harlan Punnett added 24 and Siggi Skagfeld 19. Brock Thorn paced Windsor with 27. Jonas MacKoff added 16. …………………………………………………… The Prince Rupert Rainmakers defeated the Surrey Holy Cross Crusaders 69-60 despite trailing for most of the first half. The Rainmakers outscored Holy Cross 24-12 in the third quarter, including eight points by senior forward Lindsay Smith, who finished with 18. Grade nine teammate 6-4 Connor Agnew also scored 18. Senior guard Aaron Hopkins led Holy Cross with 16. Kristian Locsin added 12. …………………………………………………… The 2nd-seeded Prince George Duchess Park Condors defeated the Creston Prince Charles Comets 75-58 as guard Landon Cunningham scored 33, including five from beyond the arc and 15 in the first quarter as Duchess Park built a 22-13 lead. Grade 11 forward Marshall Perrin led the Comets with 30. …………………………………………………… The 7th-seeded Vernon W.L. Seaton Sonics dumped the 10th-seeded Steveston Packers 69-63 by scoring the final seven points of the affair. Game MVP 6-4 senior forward Jesse Boudreau paced the Sonics with 19 points. Senior forward Kyle Hale added 18. The score was knotted at 34 at the half. Sonics coach Merv Prier told the Vernon Morning Star that “it was a tough, hard-knocking game. Joel Brazier didn’t play because of an ankle injury, so it was a real emotional team effort for us.” Vikas Sharma led the Packers with 20. The Packers also included Peter Adams. …………………………………………………… The 3rd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions dumped Trail J.L. Crowe Hawks 90-46. The Lions raced to a 27-5 lead, including five field goals by senior forward Lee Yakubowich. Jeff Krawetz paced Lambrick Park with 16. Rajan Nirwan and C.G. Morrison each added 12, while Charlie Spurr added 11. Garett Johnson led J.L. Crowe with 20. Devon Hughes added 15. …………………………………………………… The Vancouver Notre Dame Jugglers defeated the Vernon Clarence Fulton Maroons 59-43 after taking a 22-8 lead after one quarter. The Jugglers dominated the defensive boards and displayed excellent ball movement. A pair of grade 11 guards led the way as Reggie Mercado scored 17 and Alan Hogan 16. The Jugglers led 34-16 at the half. Conner Korberg paced the Maroons with 11. Jason Keegstra added 9 and Chris Antonation 8 (also reported as 10). The Maroons (coached by Dale Olson) also included Justin Heinrich, Calum Lloyd, Ivan Chow, Justin Craigen.
In the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Ladysmith 49ers dumped the Prince George College Heights Cougars 72-51 after taking a 31-20 lead after a quarter as David Robinson scored 10 of his 15 points, while 6-6 senior Jaret Redford scored 9 of his 19 points. Grade 10 guard Mikah Brookhart and senior Jeff Sampson each scored 14 to lead Prince George.
The 5th-seeded Nanaimo Cedar Spartans defeated the 4th-seed Prince Rupert Rainmakers 71-59 (alternately reported as 72-51). Harlan Punnett scored 13 of his 28 points in the second quarter as the Spartans built a 25-23 lead at the half. Will Galick finished with 23 (alternately reported as 22), while nabbing 10 boards. Siggi Skagfeld added 16. Grade 9 star Connor Agnew led the Rainmakers with 17 points. James O’Connor also scored 17.
The Prince George Duchess Park Condors defeated the Vernon W.L. Seaton Sonics 70-57 as guard Landon Cunningham scored 19 and backcourt mate Darren Johnson 18. Senior forward Kyle Hale led the Sonics with 18. The Sonics (coached by Merv Prier) also included Jesse Boudreau, Bryan Cragg, Chris Sochan, Matt Pozier, Justin Gauthier, Joel Brazier.
In the last quarterfinal, the Victoria Lambrick Park Lions crushed the Vancouver Notre Dame Jugglers 83-63 as grade 11 guard C.J. Morrison scored 16 and senior Raj Nirwan 15, including 10 in the third quarter. Lambrick Park led 35-31 at the half. Alan Hogan led Notre Dame with 15. Brian Nguyen added 14.
In the semis, the Nanaimo Cedar Spartans, in only their fourth year as a new AA school, stunned the top-seeded Ladysmith 49ers 55-51 in a tight affair. Siggi Skagfeld got hot in the fourth quarter, hitting a field goal and free throw as Jaret Radford fouled out for the 49ers. Skagfeld scored 10 his 17 points in the final quarter. Will Galick led the Spartans with 19. Harlan Punnett added 15. Radford led the 49ers with 14. David Robinson added 11.
In the other semi, the 3rd-seeded Victoria Lambrick Park Lions defeated the 2nd-seeded Prince George Duchess Park Condors 82-62. Lambrick Park led 23-13, 43-26 and 63-41 at the quarters and were paced by grade 11 guards C.G. Morrison and Charlie Spurr with 19 points apiece. Senior Forward Mike Saunders added 14. Guard Darren Johnson led the Condors with 27. Landon Cunningham added 15 and Joseph Bienkowska-Gibbs 14.
In the bronze medal match, the Ladysmith 49ers defeated the Prince George Duchess Park Condors 69-53 to ensure that three Island teams captured all the medals. The 49ers were led by 6-6 senior forward Jaret Radford and 6-5 senior Paul Berto each scored 18 points. David Robinson, son of Canadian Hall of Famer Billy Robinson, added 13. Landon Cunningham led the Condors with 18. Darren Johnson added 15.
In the final, the Victoria Lambrick Park Lions captured its third straight provincial title by crushing the Nanaimo Cedar Spartans 79-54 in an all-Island final. The Lions had whipped the Spartans twice during the regular season and in the provincial final proved no less dominant. Their team balance proved decisive as they built a 31-4 after one quarter and were never challenge. Senior guard and defensive player of the tournament Raj Nirwan scored 14 in the first quarter, including four from beyond the arc. He didn’t score again. But 6-4 senior Mike Saunders and senior Lee Yakubowich were dominant in the third quarter. Yakubowich finished 27 points and Saunders 11. C.G. Morrison added 13 and Charlie Spurr 12. Harlan Punnett scored 20 for Cedar, including four from beyond the arc. Will Galick led the Spartans with 23, while Siggi Skagfeld added 11. The win was the third straight for Lambrick Park coach Ed Somers, a math teacher. “We have a very focused and unselfish group,” said Somers. “All our starters were in double figures in the championship game. The Island was so strong this year that just getting off it was a challenge.” The Lions led 31-14 after one quarter and 41-19 at the half.
The bronze medalist Ladysmith 49ers: Jaret Redford; David Robinson; Duncan Munro; Stephen Bagshaw; Wes Munro; Cale Noonan; Jimmy Moore; Paul Berto; Jeevin Shahi; Matt Luey; Sean Mercer; Kyle Kozar; Bryan Bagshaw; Gabe Hamilton; coach Randy Steel
The silver medalist Nanaimo Cedar Spartans: Will Galick; Harlan Punnett; Siggi Skagfeld; Bryan Romine; Max German; Chris Suddaby; Allan Ross; Byron Smiley; Eric Jonson; Blake Hunter; Braden Wheatcroft; Phil Senckenberg; coach Rick Hart
The gold medalist Victoria Lambrick Park Lions: Mike Saunders; Charlie Spurr; Lee Yakubowich; Rajan Nirwan; C.G. Morrison; Brendan Orr; Jeff Krawetz; John Galloway; Jared Gale; Kyle Orr; Chris Abra; coach Ed Somers; assistant Mark Schippers