The contenders are down to four.
After the first day of the senior boys provincial basketball championship Wednesday in Langley, only four Vancouver teams remain in the hunt for a B.C. crown. The defending 2014 champs from Churchill got off to a fast start in the AAAA tournament, the Tupper Tigers scratched out their opponent in AAA, and in single A West Point Grey Academy and St. Patrick’s are through to the quarterfinals.
Churchill up, Trojans down
In the AAAA contest, the No. 9 Thompson Trojans came up against the No. 8 Terry Fox Ravens. Their side-by-side seeding wasn’t really reflected by the 100-37 score of their Wednesday meeting. In the Thursdsay morning game on the consolation side of the draw, Thompson defeated Cranbrook's Mt. Baker 57-27 and will play Heritage Woods 10:15 a.m. Friday.
The Churchill Bulldogs, seeded fourth, defeated No. 13 Heritage Woods 72-54 and advanced to play No. 5 Lord Tweedsmuir at 3:30 p.m. today. A win pits the Bulldogs against either Terry Fox or Oak Bay. It only gets tougher from here.
Tigers smell blood
The Tupper Tigers knocked off the 16th seed from Nelson, going nearly double over L.V. Rogers in a 68-36 win.
At No. 1, the Tigers' highest-ranked competition on their way to the senior boys AAA championship final (if they continue to win) will be the fourth seed.
They play No. 8 Nanaimo today at 5:15 p.m.
Bruins slip back
The No. 12 Britannia Bruins lost 89-43 to Collingwood, seeded fifth, on the first day of the senior boys AA tournament. On Thursday, the Bruins lost to No. 13 Bodwell from North Vancouver 69-59. They play Kitimat's Mt. Elizabeth at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Celtics and Wolves to meet?
The No. 7 St. Patrick’s Celtics and No. 6 West Point Grey Academy Wolves could meet in the single-A semifinals if both teams continue to win.
The Celtics beat Duncan Christian 75-43 on Wednesday and on Thursday come up against No. 1 Immaculata. The quarterfinal is at 8:15 p.m.
The Wolves defeated Northside Christian 51-37 to advance to face No. 3 Credo Christian at 6:45 p.m. today.
All four tournaments continue simultaneously at the Langley Events Centre through March 14. Up-to-the-minute results here.
