Oak Bay's Finley Lillis looks to pass out of a Vancouver College double team which including Irish big man Roko Maric during TBI Super 16 semifinal Friday night at the LEC. (Photo by Gary Ahuja property of Langley Events Centre 2022. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

Tsumura Basketball Super 16’s Final 4 Friday: In a galaxy of Oak Bay stars, Arnatt’s 32-point night helps Bays outshine VC Irish en route to title game!

OAK BAY 85 VANCOUVER COLLEGE 70

LANGLEY — It stood as a testament to toll to be paid along the build-up towards the character-testing nature of a fourth-quarter stretch drive.

On Friday, there was nothing to choose between Victoria’s Oak Bay Bays and the Vancouver College Fighting Irish in the second of two Tsumura Basketball Invitational Super 16 semifinals at the Langley Events Centre.

In a game which seemingly fluctuated between one or two possessions either way for what must have been three-and-a-half quarters, however, it was the Bays who found a finishing kick when one was needed most, and with it, the spoils that come with a berth in Saturday’s showcase TBI final.

So what was key behind a 15-5 game-closing run?

“It comes down to our teamwork… the way that we play together,” stated Bays standout senior guard Griffin Arnatt, who scored 12 of his game-high 32 points in the final quarter, including a focussed 6-for-6 from the free throw line, and now leads his team into the TBI finals Saturday (8:30 p.m.) against the Kelowna Owls.

Thirty-two points?

That’s a big number in a game where every point was hard-earned, so does that make Arnatt the team’s star?

Or is this collective of gritty, never-say-die Bays in fact a star-less team of sorts?

Arnatt pondered the question for a second.

“I think we’re all stars in our own way,” he said.

Hard to argue.

Vancouver College Mikyle Malabuyoc (left) and Oak Bay’s Matthew Magnan come together during Tsumura Basketball Invitational Super 16 semifinal at the LEC. (Photo by Gary Ahuja property of Langley Events Centre 2022. All Rights Reserved)

Arnatt was a in a groove to be sure, but head coach Chris Franklin’s rotation keeps so many involved.

Grade 11 guard Heath Taylor and senior guard Matthew Magnan had 14 apiece, while 6-foot-7 Grade forward Owen Lewis added nine, and Grade 10 guard Toren Franklin eight.

Vancouver College, for the second week in a row, lost in a high-calibre tourney semifinal.

Last week its run at the Heritage Woods Kodiak Classic was ended by St. Patrick’s.

This time around, senior guard Mikyle Malabuyoc led the Irish with 17 points while 6-foot-8 Grade 12 centre Roko Maric added 14. Grade 11 guard Finn Teasdale hit three treys and finished with nine points.

If you’re reading this story or viewing these photos on any website other than one belonging to a university athletic department, it has been taken without appropriate permission. In these challenging times, true journalism will survive only through your dedicated support and loyalty. VarsityLetters.ca and all of its exclusive content has been created to serve B.C.’s high school and university sports community with hard work, integrity and respect. Feel free to drop us a line any time at howardtsumura@gmail.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *