Glenn Garvie has a blend of ultra-talented athletes from assorted sports on his VSS Panther roster.
They all flashed enough common basketball sense Saturday as the Panthers roared to a monster 61-59 comeback win over the Duchess Park Condors of Prince George in the finals of the 17th annual Maroon Corporate Classic at Fulton.
The Condors built up an early 24-6 lead and were up by seven before the towering Cats outscored them 18-9 in the final three minutes. Tourney MVP Leon Schenker, a 6-foot-3 forward, elbowed his way into the key and sank a bucket with two seconds remaining for the title.
Garvie says defence makes the Cats roll and they used a zone system to beat Duchess Park.
“We’re big and long,” said Garvie. “Our whole starting lineup averages about six-three and we just wore them down. I’m not sure if they were any more tired than we were, but they got tired of shooting over those long arms.
It was quite the persevering by the boys to win that game. Everybody who played did something special to help us to win.”
Schenker, who quit Rep soccer a few years ago to focus on hoops all-year round, pocketed 23 points. Charis Ondrik added eight, while Jaden Parsons and Bradley Hladik each sank six. The Panthers were without big man Ben Hladik, who sprained a thumb in Friday morning’s win over the Similkameen Sparks of Keremeos. The Hladik brothers pushed VSS to the B.C. senior AA football final earlier this season.
“Leon’s really my best basketball player,” said Garvie. “He has the most skill. He passes the ball well, brings the ball up the court well and plays good defence. He plays the game all summer.”
Garvie says he has several players who bring intangibles to the floor, including tourney all-star forward Colton Schaper-Kotter, a baseball star who was credited with one trey in the championship tilt.
“You don’t notice Colton much or see him on the scoresheet, but he’s always stealing the ball or blocking the ball.”
Soren Erricson drained 19 points, while all-star Colburn Pearce collected 11 for the Condors.
The Maroons parlayed 23 points from Nathan Banga into a 51-44 victory over the Westsyde Whundas of Kamloops in the consolation final. The win will help Fulton’s seeding status for the Valley playdowns.
Ike Olson of the Maroons, Westsyde’s Nathan Strank and Malcom McDonald of Duchess Park also made the all-star team.
Meanwhile, VSS toppled the South Kam Titans 80-73 in Saturday’s final of the Westsyde Whundas senior girls hoop tournament.
Megan Rouault drained 21 points for the No. 5-ranked Cats, who won their second straight tourney. Brianna Falk bagged 15 points, while Mackenzie Horst sank a dozen and Kelsey Falk supplied 11.
“Overall, it was a great weekend of basketball in Kamloops as the girls are showing a level of resiliency rarely seen,” said VSS head coach Lonny Mazurak. The Panthers opened by mauling the Okanagan Mission Huskies 74-67 with Brianna Falk pocketing 28 points, Rouault posting 13 and game star Megan Wiebe ringing up 10.
“Brianna Falk did a great job getting to the rim and Megan Wiebe made some big shots to hold off the Huskies,” said Mazurak.
VSS turned back Westsyde 55-44 in their opener with Rouault getting 18 points, Brianna Falk 12 and Horst and Kelsey Falk 10 apiece.
“We couldn’t make shots but coach (Dave Tetreault) T was very proud of how they held up on defence despite the offensive struggles,” said Mazurak.