For the D.P. Todd Trojans, provincials didn't go as planned.
The D.P. Todd senior girls did win their all-important first game at high school basketball's double-A championship tournament. But, through a combination of factors, they went on to finish 10th in the 16-team event.
Playing in Kamloops, the Trojans beat the Clarence Fulton Maroons of Vernon 74-63 in their opener. Unfortunately, before that game even started, they were dealt a blow when star Grade 12 forward Piper Hoekstra twisted an ankle after she landed on teammate Danielle Steel's foot in warmup. Hoekstra, with her ankle heavily taped, did manage to play against Fulton and was in the lineup for D.P. Todd's remaining three games, but wasn't anywhere near full health.
After the promising win against Fulton, the seventh-ranked Trojans advanced to face the second-seeded York House Tigers of Vancouver and lost 91-38. The Tigers, who tamed the Britannia Bruins 76-56 in Saturday's championship game, had been ranked No. 1 all season but dropped to No. 2 for the tournament after a loss to Britannia in their zone final.
Then the draw took a cruel turn for the Trojans. An 85-82 upset win by the Vernon Panthers over the Lambrick Park Lions of Victoria meant the Trojans had to play the third-ranked Lions next. D.P. Todd gave Lambrick Park a battle but lost 99-84.
In their last game, for eighth and 10th place, the Trojans met their zone rival, the Nechako Valley Viqueens of Vanderhoof. The result wasn't important to D.P. Todd coach Reid Roberts or Nechako Valley coach Joel Mueller so they agreed to hand their non-starters plenty of floortime, in the name of giving them some of the spotlight on the provincial stage. The Viqueens, who lost 81-62 to the Trojans in the north central zone championship game, won this one 66-60.
Against the Viqueens, Trojans guard Jamie Macfarlane scored a team-high 21 points. All through the tournament, she played her best basketball of the year.
"Jamie had an incredible week -- 23 points, 11 points, 23 points, 21 points," Roberts said. "I think she only broke double digits a few times during the season. I was very proud of her. She played with so much confidence all week."
Roberts, who has been a Prince George high school basketball coach for two decades, plans to step aside next season so he can devote more time to his young children, Kionae and Sawyer.
"This was a great way to end a 20-year coaching career," he said.
"We accomplished our two goals for the season, and that was to win a city and zone championship."
At the boys double-A provincials, also in Kamloops, the College Heights Cougars finished 11th. They posted a 2-2 record, with an opening-game loss to Mission (74-61), a win against Fulton (65-64), a loss to Southridge of Surrey (80-68) and a victory against Hugh Boyd of Richmond (70-58).
In the game for the B.C. banner, South Okanagan downed Mission 71-66.
At the triple-A girls provincials in North Vancouver, the PGSS Polars lost all four of their games. Their best result was a 55-42 setback to New Westminster.
W.J. Mouat of Abbotsford beat Claremont of Victoria 69-64 for gold.
