Two Comox Valley high school boys basketball teams are vying for Vancouver Island championships – and a chance to go to the B.C. championships – this week (Feb. 26-28).
The Vanier Towhees are at Mount Doulgas Secondary in Victoria for the Fe4A Island tourney, which features eight teams vying for two berths to the B.C.s
The Towhees (North #1) open play tonight at 6 p.m. against Claremont (South #4). Fans can follow the action at sportvictoria.com which will have a webcast blog of each game as well as stats and scoring updates.
Meanwhile, the Isfeld Ice are at Parkland Secondary in Sidney for the 3A Islands, where the top three finishers at the eight-team event will punch their ticket to the Provincials.
The Ice (North #3) open this afternoon at 4 p.m. against Reynolds (South #2). Regular updates will be posted on sportvictoria.com.
Provincial championships for both 3A and 4A go March 11-14 at the Langley Events Centre.
The Valley almost had two senior girls teams qualify for Provincials.
The Isfeld Ice finished third at the Feb. 19-21 2A Island championships but lost a Feb. 23 challenge game to St. Thomas Aquinas (North Vancouver), who are the #13 seed at the 16-team B.C.s which go March 4-7 at the Langley Events Centre.
Isfeld had a great start and was up 14-3, then foul trouble and a full court press led to STA getting some baskets and it was 17-15 for Isfeld at the end of the first quarter. More foul trouble early in the second allowed STA to increase their lead and Isfeld trailed by 15 at the half.
Isfeld came out strong in the third and got within two points, but STA's point guard had a great game and managed to keep her team ahead and STA won 73-64.
"The Ice played hard through till the final whistle...a sad ending because they didn't make provincials, but all in all the Ice can be proud of themselves for having a great season," a team spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Vanier Towhees were denied a trip to the B.C. 3A tourney when they lost 66-60 in overtime to Stelly's in a four-team playoff at the Islands for the third-place berth for a back door tournament seeding for provincials.