Vanier’s junior boys basketball team overcame a 12-point deficit to defeat Oak Bay 58-52 in the championship final at Islands on the weekend in Shawnigan Lake.
“We pulled it out in the fourth quarter,” Towhees coach Tony Edwards said. As far he knows, this is the first-ever Island championship for a Vanier boys basketball team.
“It’s been a long time coming for the program. Larry (senior boys coach Street) puts so much work into this. I’ve been feeding him kids the last 10 years.”
Vanier kicked off the tourney with a 47-33 win over Brentwood College. The team reached the final with a 65-64 overtime win over Claremont in the semis.
Forward Peter Greaves — who scored 30 points in the semis — was named tournament MVP. Point guard Macyn Leopkey Johnson was a first-team all-star.
Unlike senior teams that are divided by tiers, the juniors compete at the same level.
“We’re very excited about this group,” said Edwards, who credits the coaches at Lake Trail Middle School who helped prepare the players for high school ball.
Vanier plays in the junior provincials this weekend in Langley. The Towhees have been a provincial honourable mention heading into the four-day tournament, which features 32 teams.
“We hope to make some noise,” said Edwards, who is hoping for a top-10 finish.