It was MVP Montell Lindgren and the Duchess Park Condors earning the trophy with a 68-58 win over host College Heights Secondary on Saturday at the senior boys' Cougar Classic.
The tournament began Friday and featured eight teams jockeying for top spot with North Peace (Fort St. John), South Peace (Dawson Creek), the D.P. Todd Trojans and Bulkley Valley Christian (Smithers) finding themselves on the consolation side when games tipped off on Day 2.
The semifinals found old rivals Prince George Secondary Polars and the Condors matched up in the early game, while the Cougars and Correlieu Clan (Quesnel) brought the excitement in the second game.
PGSS put up a good fight but the Condors wouldn't be denied with a 79-67 victory. In the other semifinal Cougars' point guard Nolan Hanson stole the show putting up 56 points in a dramatic come-from-behind 100-99 upset win in overtime.
Cougars' coach Mitchell Johnston said he was surprised the Clan let their 12-point lead in the fourth quarter evaporate.
The Clan recovered from the loss and downed the Polars for the bronze medal, while the Trojans surged past Bulkley Valley in the second quarter to lead 31-30 at the half and maintained the lead for fifth place.
North and South Peace were matched in the seventh-place game but chose to get a head start on the snowy highway home in daylight with the promise they'd play the game during the week.
The first-team all-star selections were: Ian Pepper (Clan); Tyson Plain (Polars); Luke Holmes (Trojans); Nathaniel Pawluk (Condors); and Hanson.
The second team included: Eric DeJong (BVC); Harshdeep Banga (Trojans); Cole Crick (Clan); Sager Sandhu (Polars); and Aykam Gill (Cougars).
The senior boys double-A zone tournament is slated for Nechako Valley Secondary in Vanderhoof from Feb. 23 to 25. Prince George schools slated to attend are the Cougars, Trojans and Condors. The Polars are a triple-A school.
Meanwhile, the CHSS junior girls won the Kelly Road Secondary tournament with a 37-20 win over the Nechako Valley Viqueens in the final.
