Morning Star Staff
The PVSS Saints face the Okanagan Mission Huskies tonight at 6:30 to open the annual Snoball Basketball Tournament in Armstrong.
In other senior boys play, the South Okanagan Hornets (Oliver) play Summerland Rockets at 8:15.
On the junior boys side, the Seaton Sonics go up against the Kalamalka Lakers at 3:30 and the Saints meet the Charles Bloom Timberwolves of Lumby at 5 p.m.
The round-robin tourney goes all day Saturday with the senior Saints battling the Hornets at noon and finishing with Summerland at 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Vernon Panthers improved to 16-1 with a 47-40 win over the Dr. Knox Falcons in the Grade 8 Panther Invitational Tournament Final.
Isaiah Ondrik (Player of the Game) led all scorers with 26 points and 12 rebounds. The Panthers trailed by two at the end of the first and led by 3 at the half.
“Our team defence has been outstanding all season long and it was no different in the final,” said VSS coach Sean Smith. “Despite shooting poorly in the first half, we were able to stay close because of our defence. Dr. Knox was a fast, skilled team and gave us all we could handle. Ondrik was a beast for us on offense and we rode him the whole game.”
The Panthers advanced to the finals with a 60-21 win over the Westsyde Whundas. Zack Smith (11), Trent Charlton (11), Ondrik (10) and Saajan Klair (10) all hit double-digits, while all Panthers hit the scoresheet.
In the opening round, Vernon iced the Kelowna Christian Knights 47-27. Smith drained 18 while Charlton had eight. Kelowna Christian took down the Fulton Maroons 53-15 for third place.
Player of the game for Fulton was Seth Pallister who had six points, six rebounds and three steals.
Quin Williamson and Ethan Schiman played terrific defence on Dr Knox’s big men and logged eight rebounds each.
In senior boys play, Fulton ambuished Seaton 86-21 with Noah Alleyne sinking 18 points, Nate Banga earning 16 and Bryn Bedard canning 10 and manager Jeff Han adding seven.
Alleyne collected six assists.