With less than a week to go the draw is set for the 2012 B.C. senior girls' single-A basketball championship, hosted at the University of Northern British Columbia by the Cedars Christian Eagles.
After winning their fourth consecutive North Central zone title in Burns Lake last weekend the Eagles head into the March 7 to 10 event as the second-ranked team in the province, behind the top-ranked, and defending champion, Houston Christian Wildcats.
The tournament won't be affected by the strike action taken by the B.C. teachers for March 5 to 7. Sue Keenan, executive director of B.C. Schools, sent out an email to provincial schools athletic directors stating that scheduled winter sports provincial championships will go ahead as planned.
Games begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. with the opening ceremonies at the Northern Sport Centre to take place at 6 p.m. The Eagles play their first game at 7 against Vancouver's 15th ranked St. John's Eagles, the third qualifier from the Lower Mainland division.
The Wildcats play the 16th seed Naksup Cougars (second qualifier from the Kootenay region) in their opening game at 3.
Other match ups on the first day include: (Okanagan #2) eighth-seed Kelowna Christian Knights vs. (Vancouver Island #2) ninth-seed Cedar Community of Nanaimo at 11 a.m.; (Okanagan #1) fourth-seed Princeton Rebels vs. (Kootenay #1) 13th ranked Fernie Falcons at at 1 p.m.; (Lower Mainland #2) fifth-ranked Pemberton Red Devils vs. (Okanagan #3) 12th ranked Immaculata Mustangs at 9 a.m.; (Vancouver Island #1) seventh-ranked Duncan Christian vs. (Fraser Valley #2) 10th ranked Credo Christian at 3 p.m.; (Lower Mainland #1) third-seed Mulgrave Lady Titans vs. (North Central #3) Fort St. James Falcons at 11 a.m.; and (Fraser Valley #1) sixth-ranked Southridge Storm vs. (North Central #2) 11th ranked Valemount Timberwolves at 1 p.m.
The Mustangs earned their berth Monday when they beat Fraser Lake in a wild-card game.
If the Eagles emerge victorious form their game with the St. John's Eagles they'll play the winner of Duncan Christian and Credo Christian on Thursday at 1 p.m. in the quarterfinal. The losers will meet at 3 on Thursday.
The gold-medal game is scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with the bronze-medal game at 4:30.
