The host Isfeld Ice defeated St. Michaels University School of Victoria to win the triple-A Vancouver Island senior boys basketball championship Saturday night.
It was a tight game for three quarters before Isfeld grabbed the lead for good in the fourth quarter. The halftime score was 43-38 in favour of the Ice. The final score was 85-71.
Isfeld was the top ranked team from the north while SMU was the top seed from the south Island.
“That was a battle, that’s a brilliant team (SMU) down there,” Isfeld coach Kent Milburn said. “That was brilliantly coached, one of the toughest defences we’ve seen. It was tight the whole way. We worked hard for it.”
The Ice led 62-57 at the end of the third quarter, at which point Milburn subbed in 6’8” Duncan Whetter, who shut down SMU’s interior drives to the hoop. Isfeld then caught stride and pulled away for the win.
“Great minutes from Grade 12s Duncan and Leo Blake,” Milburn said.
Temwa Mtawali had a game high 22 points, player-of-the-game Jasper Halvorson scored 19 and Karman Kandola 17. Grade 11 Finley Lan came off the injury list with 11 points.
The Ice kicked off the tournament Thursday with a 111-55 win over Esquimalt. Most of the team hit the scoresheet. Isfeld then beat Timberline Secondary of Campbell River 96-68 on Friday to advance to the final. In his biggest game of the year, Ryder Dumonceau hit for 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
Isfeld’s Kye Kotapski-Tinga and Kandola were named to the first all-star team while Mtawali was tournament MVP.
Timberline beat Vic High 75-68 in Saturday’s game for the bronze medal. The Campbell River school will join Isfeld and SMU at the triple-A B.C. Championships, March 9-12 in Langley. Isfeld is ranked number four in B.C. heading into the tournament.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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