Wildcats finish tournament on a high note, tame Rattlers 65-42
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr,
The Nelson Daily Sports
The Mount Sentinel Wildcats got better with age, finishing of their own tournament with a 65-42 victory over the Osoyoos Rattlers Saturday at the gymnasium in South Slocan.
“This was a better game for us . . . it was a real confidence booster for the boys,” said Sentinel head coach Kris Hryniw.
“One exciting thing about our home tournament this past weekend is that everyone on the team scored at least one basket,” Hryniw added as 11 of the 12 players on the team hit the score sheet against the South Okanagan opposition.
The L.V. Rogers Bombers won the tournament by blasting the J. Lloyd Crowe Hawks in the final.
The Cats opened the eight-team tournament against those same Hawks, which prevailed 70-48. “This was a rough start but (the team) is a super promising young bunch,” Hryniw explained, starting the season with only two practices as most of the team was in Kelowna to compete in the B.C. High School AA Boy’s Volleyball Championships.
Zach Grigg, who earned honourable mention status at the provincial volleyball tournament, led the Cats against Crowe with 20 points. Steven Hernandez added eight before leaving the game with an injury.
Mount Sentinel then dropped an 83-63 decision to Single-A power Nakusp.
“Nakusp looks like the team to beat in the West Kootenay A division (this season),” said Hryniw. “We’ll have our work cut out for us (to knock off Nakusp this season), but I’m hopeful we can.”
Joren Johnson, who also plays for the Kootenay Ice Major Midget Hockey team, scored 17 points to lead the Cats offensively. Grade 10 players Linus Mueller had four, Ryan Hernandez has three and Jef Vreys scored a basket.
The Cats now travel to Trail Thursday to compete in the Hawks’ Invitational Tournament.
The Wildcats compete in the West Kootenay High School A Boy’s Basketball League against teams from Rossland, Salmo, New Denver, J.V. Humphries of Kaslo and Nakusp.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
