The last two games of the the season for the Vanier Towhees senior boys basketball team were league games, Feb. 6 in Port Alberni Feb. 9 at home against John Barsby of Nanaimo.
On Tuesday, Vanier started slow to a feisty home team at the Armada gym. Alberni was up 17-13 at the end of the first quarter. In the second, Vanier went on a 16 to four run, stepping up the team defence, and making rebounding more important. Half time score was 38-26 Vanier. This moved on to a 20-point lead at the end of the third, and then a final score by 30 in favour of Vanier 78-48.
Levi Timmermans continued his scoring ways with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots. Aidan Bernard chipped in 15 points and nine boards as well. Leading the team in rebounding, though, was Bentley Barth, who stepped up his game with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Kyle Piercy added 11 points and four steals.
Friday was also senior night, commemorating the years of play the seven graduating seniors put in for their community. Timmermans, Riley Meyerhoff, Barth, Bernard, Dawson Kipp, Piercy and Griffin Jamieson all contributed stellar team defence, and all scored in their last game at Vanier — a 95-52 win for the hosts. Five players were in double figures scoring: Timmermans (10), Bernard (10), Piercy (23), Kipp (15), and Meyerhoff (12). Timmermans had 12 boards and Bernard had 10. Five players also had three steals each.
Next up is the North Island Championship playoff tournament that will determine the four teams that advance to Islands Feb. 22-24. The North Islands are in Port Alberni Feb. 15-17. Vanier will be playing the winner of Wellington and Alberni at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Towhees received a bye in the first round due to finishing in a tie for first. The top two teams don’t play Thursday. Friday night, Isfeld plays the winner of Carihi and Barsby at 5:30 p.m.
The Islands are at Carihi starting Feb. 22.