The Isfeld Ice senior boys basketball team defeated the Vanier Towhees 76-67, Thursday, Dec. 16 in front of a big crowd at the Isfeld gym.
In a hard-fought first half, the Ice jumped out to an 18-point lead, but the Towhees battled back and only trailed by 10 at half-time. In the second half, Isfeld built the lead up to 20 only to see Vanier once again fight their way back to make for an exciting finish.
Vanier coach Larry Street said the Towhees had no answer for the outstanding play of Kye Kotapski-Tinga and Temwa Mtawali, who led Isfeld scorers with 38 and 26 points respectively.
“They were very tough to stop,” said Street, noting Isfeld’s daunting fast break and three-point shooting as well. “The Towhees kept pace for most of the game, but went into a 10-point hole very early. Still, an enjoyable game for the fans, and a great high school experience.”
Street said Sam Barnie, who scored 17 points, played a fine game with excellent leadership and smart defence. Carson Bell chipped in 12 points, and Aidan Walsh scored 10 points and had eight rebounds. It was also a breakout game for Grade 11s Micah Leopkey-Johnson with nine smart points, and Imraan Abdul with six hustle points. Kaizan Hajdrych played excellent defence for Vanier.
•On Wednesday, Dec. 15, the Towhees beat Timberline of Campbell River 70-47 in an exhibition game at Vanier. The first half was evenly played with both teams struggling to score. Vanier had trouble with Timberline big man, number five Brandon, who ended the game with 19 points.
Walsh stepped up with more physical play inside and had 19 points for the Towhees, along with nine rebounds. Reed Fournier came off the bench and chipped in 14 aggressive points while Barnie scored 11 points and seven rebounds, along with five assists. Street said it was an excellent second half where all Vanier players contributed to the win.
Unless a change occurs in January, the Towhee Tournament has been cancelled due to orders from the B.C. government. Teams are permitted to play single match games.