The host Vernon Panthers went 2-1 at their own six-team Pit Classic senior girls basketball tournament Dec. 9 and 10 at the Panther Pit.
Each team played three games in the two-day event. The only blemish for Dave Tetrault’s Panthers squad, ranked No. 7 in the pre-season AAA senior girls poll, was a final-game 52-51 loss to the Salmon Arm Jewels.
Maddy Hackman led all scorers with 34 points for VSS, while Ainslee Mueller had 27 to lead the Jewels.
“Maddy had a strong tournament,” said Tetrault. “For early in the season, we are happy with the improvement shown by the team.”
The Panthers opened the tourney against the fourth-ranked A school, Kelowna Christian School Knights, and rolled to a 46-26 win. Beth Butler led Vernon with 14 points while Jessica Bond added 10.
Hackman scored 22 to pace Vernon to a 51-39 win over the Penticton Lakers in their other match. Amy Curtis dropped in a dozen.
The event featured the fourth-ranked AAA team, the Sa-Hali Sabres of Kamloops, and Tetrault referred to them as the “class of the tournament,” as they went 3-0.
Sa-Hali disposed of Penticton 65-37 behind 22 points from Temi Aina. The Sabres swamped Salmon Arm 81-38 behind 21 points from Nevena Nogic, who also led Sa-Hali with 12 points in their 53-10 romp over Kelowna Christian.
Salmon Arm was 2-1, Penticton and the Norkam Saints of Kamloops finished 1-2, and Kelowna Christian went 0-3.
The Panthers are off to Langley this week for the prestigious eight-team Tsumura Invitational.
“Our focus is to continue to get better as a team and play to our potential,” said Tetrault, whose squad will open the tournament against the St. John Brebeuf Bears of Abbotsford, a provincial pre-season AAA honourable mention.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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