Bombers run out of gas at Junior Boy's Hoop tourney
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Not enough bodies proved to be the undoing for the L.V. Rogers Bombers at the B.C. Junior Boy’s High School Basketball Championships at St. Michael’s University in Victoria.
Kelowna Owls dumped the Bombers 69-39 in the 15th/16th placing game Saturday.
LVR entered the tournament with only a handful of players, including Grade 8 Avery Kushner.
Ranked as the top seed entering the 16-team tournament, Kelowna salvaged something from a disappointing weekend, dominating the Bombers. Owls’ post Darrion Bunce led a balanced attack with 18 points. For LVR Erich Schepleski was top score with nine.
Provincial champion White Rock Christian Academy jumped out to a 20-8 first quarter lead en route to an 84-51 victory over the Bombers Thursday on Day one of the three-day tourney.
LVR’s Jack Sturrup led all scorers with 19 points.
Friday, Claremont of Victoria used a 13-2 run in the third quarter en route to a 72-46 win over LVR.
The Bombers kept pace with the Island school through the first half but a lack of numbers finally caught up to the Bombers.
Matt Zukowski continued his fine play for LVR to lead the team with 13 points.
LVR then dropped a 65-52 decision to Nanaimo’s Dover Bay.
Once again the Bombers played Dover Bay tough through the first 16 minutes trailing 34-25. But a 17-7 third-quarter run opened a 51-32 advantage and the Island squad never looked back.
Sturrup and McLain Sandeveland each scored 15 points to lead the Kootenay reps.
White Rock Christian held off a late charge by the host school to edge SMUS 55-51 in the tournament final.
Sam Ykema, selected tournament MVP, led the winner with 27 points.
Steve Whillans scored 14 and Mark Yorath with 13 led SMUS.
Jack Sturrup won Team MVP honors for LVR.
Ten Years Ago . . .
This year marks the 10th anniversary of LVR’s Provincial Junior Boy’s Champion. The Bombers, led by NCAA Division One Men’s player at Santa Clara, Sean Denison, defeated New Westminster in the final to finish the season not only with a provincial title but an incredible 38-0 record.
The team, also including Jeremy Phelan, Brody Blair, Josh Sampson, Andrew Galewitz, Matt Fuhr, Ira Achen, Aaron Champlin, Grant Davidson, Dimitro Kirsh and Colin Prentice, was coached by current LVR varsity coach Blair D’Andrea.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
