Tough start to hoop season for LVR Bombers at South Okanagan Tournament
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The L.V. Rogers ran into some tough competition on opening weekend of the BC High School Basketball season in Oliver.
The Bombers finished the South Okanagan Hornets tournament outlasting Fulton Maroons of Vernon 66-35 Saturday.
“We finished to claim seventh (spot) at the tough — there were four ranked 2A schools — 8-team tournament,” said Bomber coach Jeremy Phelan.
It looked like LVR would be just fine after leading the host Hornets 48-38 30 minutes into the contest.
But the Bombers shooting went cold, allowing the Hornets to out score LVR 27-7 in the final period to grab a 63-55 victory.
“SOSS scored 30 of their 63 from beyond the three-point line in the game,” Phelan said.
“At the end of the game we rallied but the crowd was extremely loud which definitely got into our heads and prevented us from converting at the freethrow line where we shot 4 for 11.”
Player of the game for LVR, Josh Matosevic, led the Bombers with 18 points. Vinnie Watson had 14 points while Jake Anderson had nine and Kai Shave seven.
LVR then dropped a tough 74-64 Overtime decision to the Kelowna Owls B Team.
LVR held the lead throughout much of the game until KSS hit a three-pointer out of a timeout to tie late in the fourth quarter, then another three-pointer to put them up with under two minutes to play in regulation.
Bombers rallied with a field goal and a freethrow to tie and force overtime. LVR ran out of gas in OT after Matosevic fouled out of the game leaving them with only seven players, and KSS outscored them 19-12 in the extra frame.
Player of the game for LVR was Kai Shave.
LVR then dropped its third game of the tournament, 77-53 to third-ranked 2A Collingwood of West Vancouver.
The Cavaliers led from start to finishing, building a 26-6 first quarter lead before rolling to the win.
Player of the game for LVR was Vinnie Watson.
“Third game in less than 24 hrs and only eight players against a discipline Collingwood Cavs team spelled trouble,” Phelan explained.
“Josh Matosevic sat with an injury much of the game and we struggled to score against the 1-3-1 zone defense.”
Watson led the Bombers in scoring with 27 points, 16 coming in the third quarter.
Robby Dixon added 19 points.
