Without breaking a sweat the Houston Christian Wildcats took the first step in defence of their single A girls basketball
provincial title.
The top-seed Wildcats easily dismantled the 16th seed Nakusp Cougars 77-24 in Wednesday's opening game of the 2012 provincial tournament at the Northern Sport Centre from March 7 to 10. The win puts Houston in the quarterfinal versus Nanaimo's Cedar Community
Spartans today at 3 p.m.
Ruth Hamblin led the Wildcats with 23 points, while Allison Seinen added 16. In the second half Houston's dynamic duo took turns on the court with the six-foot-six Hamblin playing the third quarter while Seinen played the fourth.
Seinen said one of the benefits in playing a lopsided game is it gives everybody a chance to work on fundamentals and to stay sharp for the tougher games to come.
"It was just to play hard, pass properly and work as a team to play as good basketball as you can," said Seinen about Houston's goal before the game. "We try to pass and not go in as fast as we normally do and pass it to other players that don't get as many baskets normally."
Despite their attempt at sportsmanship the Wildcats led the overmatched Cougars 42-8 at the half.
Juanita Dieleman put up 12 points for the Wildcats, while the Cougars where led by Montana Robins' nine points.
In a minor upset, Langley's 10-seed Credo Christian Kodiaks were able to takedown the seventh-seed Duncan Christian
Chargers 70-51.
Kodiaks' head coach Arthur de Leeuw said it was a nice way to begin a tournament they haven't played in for six years.
"We've met them once before in a cross-zone tournament," said de Leeuw, adding the Chargers beat them by seven. "It was a very interesting game. We knew who they are and what they're like. We came out and, I thought, the whole team played very, very well.
"We've got the starting five and the supporting cast and [everybody] was excellent," he added.
Carolyn de Leeuw and Kristen Schouten provided most of the offence for the Kodiaks while Karen Vandergugten was dynamite under the hoop in collecting the rebounds.
The Kodiaks will play in the 1 p.m. quarterfinal today against winner of the final round-one game between the second-seed Cedars Christian Eagles or Vancouver's 15th-seed St. John Eagles.
Barring a significant upset de Leeuw expects his troops will play off against the host Cedars
Christian.
"It'll be interesting I'm sure," said a smiling de Leeuw. "In our league we've got Unity Christian and they've played Cedars Christian before and from the reports I have from them, the Eagles are what we call a well-oiled machine.
"It'll be good for our girls," he added. "We're just very thankful for being where we are right now."
Other first-round games saw Cedar Community Spartans beat Kelowna Christian Knights 64-45; Pemberton Red Devils knock off the Immaculata Mustangs 79-63 and the Princeton Rebels over the Fernie Falcons 75-41. The Rebels and Red Devils will play off in today's 9 a.m. quarterfinal with the winner advancing to the semifinal against either the Wildcats or Spartans.
The third-seed Mulgrave Titans advanced to the quarterfinal with a 91-36 win over the Fort St. James Falcons and the Southridge Storm beat the Valemount Timberwolves 87-43. The Titans and Storm face off at 11 a.m. today with the winner moving on to the semifinal.
