Morning Star Staff
The Fulton Maroons were seeking a threepeat. The Duchess Park Condors were trying to win the senior boys basketball tournament for the first time since 2013.
Both teams brought their best to the table in Saturday’s matinee final with the Condors winning the 16th annual Fulton Corporate Classic 62-54.
Grade 10 starter Colburn Pearce pulled down 19 points to lead the Prince George-based Condors, who got 18 from Grade 12 Jasper Yutuc. The Condors led 26-15 after one quarter, thanks to 13 points from Yutuc, who got just one bucket in the second half.
Pearce and Yutuc both made the all-star team in a tourney carrying major sponsorship from DCT Chambers, Tim Hortons, Westwood Electric and Buy-Low Foods. Pearce took the classic MVP.
“It was a great final,” said Maroon head coach Dale Olson, “Duchess is really tough and us being a young team, I was not sure how we would react. The boys played really well all weekend defensively, allowing totals in the 30s for our first three games.”
Grade 10 starting guard Ike Olson (Dale’s son) was player of the game in the final, with tourney all-stars going to Grade 10 guard Nate Banga and Grade 12 Noah Alleyne.
“We also had very strong tourneys from Hunter Krieger in the middle, Caden Doyle at power forward and Kobe Romanovitch and Bryn Bedard at the guard position. We have lots of league games coming up over the next three weeks on our way to the playoffs on Feb 19/20.”
Alleyne flushed 17 points in the final, while Banga and Krieger, another Grade 10, each delivered 10 points.
The VSS Panthers lost 68-62 to the Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops in the consolation final of the eight-team classic Saturday afternoon.
Dima Pokhylov drained 18 points for the Sabres, while Albert Park sank 16 and all-star Tyler Whitney counted 14.
Seth Blundell went 5-for-9 from the charity stripe and finished with 19 points for the Panthers. Ben Hladik pocketed 17, while Jacob Marshall (all-star) and Leon Schenker each provided 10.
Sa-Hali spotted the Cats the opening deuce before going on a 15-point run.
The Westsyde Whundas rolled over the College Heights Cougars of Prince George 78-56 for fifth place, while the South Okanagan Hornets of Oliver grounded the LV Rogers Bombers of Nelson 72-67 for seventh place.
Meanwhile, VSS went 2-1 at the 11-team Sa-Hali round-robin invitational in Kamloops.
The Panthers built a 20-point lead by halftime and cruised to a 90-69 win over the Okanagan Mission Huskies of Kelowna Saturday afternoon.
Game star Jordyn Cullum canned 27 points for the Cats, while Megan Rouault dialed up 18, and Brianna Falk and Kristy Fugel each bagged 13.
“Anna Rice had a great tournament on both ends of the floor and was selected to the tournament all star team,” said VSS coach Lonny Mazurak.
“It was a bitter-sweet tournament for the girls as we are learning that we can score in bunches in a variety of ways but also have to do the hustle stuff consistently to compete with the top teams in the province.”
The Panthers opened by falling 87-80 in overtime to the Nechako Valley Viqueens of Vanderhoof. VSS blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“We learned a valuable lesson that the simple little things in basketball must be done for 40 minutes and not 25,” added Mazurak.
Game star Rouault led all scorers with 21 points, while Cullum chipped in 18 and Rice fired 13.
VSS then brushed back the GW Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack 79-69 with Rice producing 19 and Cullum getting 18. Game star Jessica Melvin collected 14 points and Fugel earned nine.
Fulton went 1-2 in the same tournament, stopping Princess Margaret Lions of Surrey 46-36 while losing 66-30 to Okanagan Mission and 42-36 to Sa-Hali.
“Caleigh Graham and Mackenzie Morin came through offensively and defensively for us,” said Fulton manager Jacqueline Olson. “Alexis Hyde and Paige Noakes rebounded well and kept our chances alive for second-shot opportunities. Nicole Olson was the calming veteran on the floor and contributed well all round as this year’s team captain.
“It’s nice to have Andie Kaneda back on the court – she too is a strong team leader. Jasmine Fox, Cassidy Breitkreutz, and Ashton Abramenko contributed well from the bench.”