LANGLEY — Nos. 1-2-3 have been joined by a fast-rising five, as the top seeds have continued to do the most damage at the B.C. senior boys Double A basketball championships.
After play wrapped up Thursday, the Final Four placings were set.
Kamloops’ No. 2-seeded and undefeated Westsyde Whundas will meet Vancouver’s No. 3 King George Dragons in a 7 p.m. tip. On the other side of the draw, Vancouver Island’s No. 1 Brentwood College of Mill Bay is set to face No. 5 Seycove of North Vancouver in an 8:45 p.m. clash.
Here’s our reports from all four of Thursday’s quarterfinals:
2A
TOP HALF DRAW
QUADRANT A
No. 1 BRENTWOOD COLLEGE 75 vs. No. 8 SHAWNIGAN LAKE 55
LANGLEY — There were some anxious moments for the leader of the pack Thursday, and with tickets being punched to the Final Four, Brentwood College’s 35-27 halftime deficit against rival Shawnigan Lake Stags reverberated throughout the LEC’s four-plex.
The No. 1 seeds, however, found their prowess right when it mattered most, outscoring the Stags 25-8 over the final quarter to post a convincing win.
Nathan Paloske led the winners with 20 points while Brendan Sullivan added 17 and Ian Grabher 14.
Shawnigan Lake, which won the battle of the boards 47-41, got got 20 points and 11 rebounds from Drueleo Leusoqi-Ape, and 16 points and 13 boards from Sergio Pereire.
QUADRANT B
No. 5 SEYCOVE 91 NO. 4 CHARLES HAYS 80
LANGLEY — Watch the Seycove Seyhawks’ trio of Dylon Matthews, Chris Ross and Doug Musselman in action, and they do enough of the little things right to make you think of the word ‘efficiency’.
While held to under 35 per cent shooting from the field by Prince Rupert’s Charles Hays Rainmakers, the trio led the North Vancouver team into Friday’s Final Four by typifying what is best about the team’s overall game.
Seycove shot 38 per cent from three-point range (13-of-34) and 86 per cent from the free throw line (18-of-21) with just eight total turnovers.
It was enough to push their lead to as many as 23 points in the early stages of the fourth quarter.
Matthews had 28 points, Ross 22 and Musselman 19 in the victory while Michael Douhan had 12.
BOTTOM HALF DRAW
QUADRANT C
No. 2 WESTSYDE 66 vs. No. 10 CLARENCE FULTON 47
LANGLEY — They came into the B.C. championships as B.C.’s only undefeated team.
Nothing has changed through the first two rounds, and now it’s on to the Final Four for Kamloops’ Whundas.
Stifling defence twice kept Vernon’s Maroons under double-digit scoring for a quarter.
Spencer Ledoux’s 25 points and 14 rebounds helped lead the Whundas, while Nathan Strank added 22 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Caden Doyle and Nathan Banga led the Maroons with 16 and 13 points respectively.
QUADRANT D
No. 3 KING GEORGE 72 vs. No. 6 BRITANNIA 43
LANGLEY — Vancouver’s King George Dragons are a win away from a berth in the B.C. final.
Seyoung Choi’s 22 points led a balanced attack which featured five double-figure scorers.
Nikola Guzina had 15 points, Mohab Mundadi and Dhol Baboth 12 apiece, and Raz Gugasyan 11.
Joshua Kagande, Marlon Edgar Apps and Jalen Williams each scored 11 points in the loss for the Bruins.
King George shot 50 per cent (7-of-14) from the distance and its 17 steals helped it win the points-off-turnovers battle 26-3.
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