The Vanier Towhees senior boys basketball team went 2-1 to finish fourth at the 12-team Chilliwack Tournament on Dec. 3-5.
Like last year, Valleyview was their first opponent and this year their pressure defence led to a 59-43 victory. Tyler Knopp led the way with 11 points while Chase Hobenshield had seven points and eight rebounds.
On Friday the Towhees trounced Williams Lake 81-20. Knopp nailed a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Hobenshield chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
Kenneth Selda had a good start to his senior boys season with a +11 (four steals, 3-for-3 shooting and eight points, three rebounds). Wyatt Strachan was steady with six points and six assists and was a terror on defence.
Saturday's game for fourth place was against a Penticton team with an athletic 6'7" centre and talented 6'5" forward. They also had good shooters, but the Towhees' tough 'D' held the Lakers in check en route to a solid 59-33 win.
Strachan and Coen Leopkey were 7-of-8 from three-point land and relentless on defence. Hobenshield was a force inside with 23 points, and 11 rebounds while Coen had 14 points and Strachan added nine points and four assists.
This week the Towhees host the four-team Gus Vesterback tournament, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday (Howe Sound vs. Gulf Islands). The Towhees play perennial tough guy Maple Ridge, with legendary coach Ken Dockendorf still at the helm after 48 years, at 7:15 p.m.
Other game times are 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Saturday (Vanier vs. Howe Sound), and the last two games are at 4 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. (Vanier vs. Gulf Islands).