The Vanier Towhees senior boys basketball team travelled to Chilliwack for their first tournament of the year and overall the results were good as they went 2-1 to finish third at the 12-team Storm Classic.
In their first game against 3A No. 1-ranked Fleetwood Park of Surrey the 4A Towhees experienced -10 degree windchill outside in ever-blowing Chilliwack but heated up the gym. "The boys played tremendously aggressive team defence, and baffled the long-range shooting Surrey team, leading by 22 points at halftime," said Towhees' head coach Larry Street.
Fleetwood Park put on a 1-3-1 half court zone for much of the last quarter and slowly picked away at the lead. But the Towhees prevailed 57-50 over a good, athletic team who shot 4-for-29 from three-point land. Joss Biggins led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds while Bryce Olsen had 15 points and eight rebounds. Harry Li popped in nine points.
Game two as against 4A No. 6-ranked Sardis, who finished sixth last year primarily as Grade 11s and proved they are bona fide contenders this year for the 4A title, winning easily over Vanier 82-44. Sardis went on to win the tourney.
The Towhees just couldn't score, or stop the big three of the Falcons who had a good 6'7" centre, two athletic scoring forwards and sharp-shooting guards. Li led the way with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Biggins had eight points.
Game three was against 1A No. 1 ranked Unity Christian of Chilliwack. "Unity played a scrappy, unorthodox game that stymied us early, but they just couldn't score against our pressure defence in the full court," Street said.
All the Towhees contributed to a solid win and all but two scored. Leading scorer was Biggins with 16 points and Jakob Jungwirth chipped in 11 on good shooting. Foster Dewitt led the team with a good +/- of 7, eight rebounds and eight points.
Up next for the Towhees are their first home games of the year in the resurrected Gus Vesterback Tournament, which is co-hosted with the senior girls team. It starts Friday and continues all day Saturday with two games for all eight teams.
Games on Friday:
2:30 p.m. (Girls) Woodlands vs. Cedar
4:14 p.m. (Boys) Maple Ridge vs. Notre Dame
6 p.m. (Boys) G.P. Vanier vs. Killarney
7:45 p.m. (Girls) G.P. Vanier vs. Killarney
Games on Saturday:
8:15 a.m. (Boys) Killarney vs. Maple Ridge
10 a.m. (Boys) Notre Dame vs. G.P. Vanier
11:45 a.m. (Girls) Woodlands vs. Killarney
1:30 p.m. (Girls) Cedar v. G.P. Vanier
3:15 p.m. (Boys) Killarney vs. Notre Dame
5 p.m. (Boys) G.P. Vanier vs. Maple Ridge
6:45 p.m. (Girls) Killarney vs. Cedar
8:30 p.m. (Girls) G.P. Vanier vs. Woodlands
– Vanier Towhees