The madness of March actually begins in February with cool nights and warm gyms.
For seven decades the boys’ 4A Island high school basketball championship has provided a stage for the likes of future Olympians Billy Robinson, Gerald Kazanowski, Greg Wiltjer and Eric Hinrichsen. The next generation states its case beginning today in the 71st Island championship tournament in the Mount Douglas Secondary school gym.
The host and South No. 4 Rams tip-off against the North top-ranked G.P. Vanier Towhees in the quarter-finals at 2 p.m. with the South No. 2 Claremont Spartans and UVic Vikes recruit Izzy Helmond up next against the North No. 3 Cowichan Thunderbirds at 4 p.m. The Nanaimo District Secondary School Islanders play the Belmont Bulldogs at 6 p.m. and the North No. 4 Dover Bay Dolphins and South top-seed Oak Bay Bays meet at 8 p.m.
The semifinals are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday night, preceded by consolation round games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The final goes at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night preceded by the third-place game at 5:30. The top-two teams will qualify for the B.C. championship tournament March 9-12 at the Langley Events Centre. The third-place team can challenge the second-place team for the final provincial berth if those teams did not meet in the Island tournament.
“There’s a lot of parity with each of the top teams having beat the others this season,” said Oak Bay head coach Chris Franklin.
“There’s several players who will go on to U Sports in their careers but they are spread around and there is no dominant or favourite team. It will come down to the day. The biggest thing is it’s just great to be back and playing [following the pandemic interruptions].”
In Island boys’ Triple-A, the North top-ranked Mark Isfeld is hoping home-court advantage in Courtenay will be enough to propel the Ice into the provincial tournament March 9-12 at the LEC. The Ice open today at 2 p.m. against the South No. 4 Esquimalt Dockers. The Vic High Totems, a historic name undergoing a hoops revival, go in as South No. 2 and meet North No. 3 Timberline of Campbell River at 4 p.m. The other quarter-final matchups have the South No. 3 Stelly’s Stingers meeting the North No. 2 Carihi Tyees of Campbell River at 6 p.m. and the South top-seed St. Michaels University School Blue Jags playing the North No. 4 John Barsby Bulldogs at 8 p.m.
The semifinals are Friday at 6 and 8 p.m. and the third-place game Saturday at 6 p.m. followed by the final at 8 p.m. with the top-three teams advancing to the B.C. tournament at the LEC.
Brentwood College is the rare school without a nickname for its teams. But they still have game and aim to show it by hosting the boys’ Island Double-A championship with the North top-ranked Brentwood College, a squad with much provincial success before the pandemic, opening today at 2 p.m. against North No. 5 Kwalikum. The North No. 3 Shawnigan Lake School Stags meet the South No. 2 PCS Pacers at 3:45 p.m., North No. 2 Gulf Islands Scorpions play the South No. 3 St. Andrew’s Sabres at 5:30 and the South top-seed Lambrick Park Lions meet North No. 4 Highland of Comox at 7:15.
The semifinals are Friday at 5:30 p.m. and 7:15 with the final Saturday at 7:15 p.m. The top-two teams advance to the B.C. championship March 9-12 at the LEC.
Glenlyon Norfolk is hosting the Island Single-A boys’ tournament with the South top-seed Gryphons opening today at 4 p.m. against North No. 4 Au Coeur De L’ile. North No. 2 Ucluelet meets South No. 3 Brookes Westshore at 2 p.m., North top-seed Nanaimo Christian plays South No. 4 Victor Brodeur at 6 p.m. with South No. 2 Duncan Christian and North No. 3 Campbell River Christian capping the night at 8 p.m.
The semifinals are Friday at 6 and 8 p.m. and the third-place game Saturday at 6 p.m. followed by the final at 8 p.m. with the top-three teams advancing to the B.C. tournament at the LEC.
GIRLS HOOPS: The Claremont Spartans and Belmont Bulldogs have qualified for the B.C. girls’ 4A high school basketball championship next week at the Langley Events Centre following the Spartans’ 67-39 victory over the Bulldogs in the Island championships held last week in the Dover Bay gymnasium in Nanaimo.
Guard Adia Pye of Claremont was named tournament MVP and Spartans forward and all-rounder Olivia Boulding, a Canadian junior national team volleyball player headed to NCAA Div. 1 Montana in that sport, was selected top defensive player.
“We have a very balanced team and everybody contributed,” said Spartans coach Darren Reisig.
“We have depth, energy and a willingness to defend. It feels great to be heading to the LEC and to play off the Island for the first time in nearly two years.”
SMUS, Brentwood College and Lambrick Park will represent the Island in the girls’ 2A provincial tournament and Alberni District and Carihi in the 3A provincial championship, also next week at the LEC. The draw for all the B.C. girls’ championships was set to be made Wednesday night.
