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Playing in their first season at the AAA level, the upstart Okanagan Mission Huskies today pulled off their first of what may be several “upsets” this season at the UFV Cascades Classic in Abbotsford.
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Led by player-of-the-game, Jenna Robinson, and a 26-point performance by Grade 12 cohort, Jordan Robb, the Huskies — ranked as an honourable mention in this week’s provincial secondary school girls basketball rankings — knocked off the No. 7-ranked Abbotsford Panthers 83-78 in the first round of the 16-team tournament.
Robinson finished with 12 points and assisted on six baskets while recording three steals in a game that saw the Huskies leading most of the way. It was 19-16 for OKM at the quarter, 38-34 by the half, and 58-52 going into the final 10 minutes. Three free throws in the dying seconds by Robinson salted the victory.
Lily Pink, one of fourGrade 10 players on the Huskies’ young roster, contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as OKM earned a berth in Friday’s quarter-finals against either unranked G.W. Graham of Chilliwack or honourable mention MEI of Abbotsford.
A win there could put them in an all-Kelowna semifinal matchup with B.C. No. 1-ranked KSS Owls, who breezed to an 83-12 victory over unranked Sardis today. The Owls, earning the right to meet Langley Christian in quarter-final play on Friday, got the chance to give their entire roster good minutes. Jordan Kemper led the way with 20 points while Grade 11 Japleen Chahal added 17 to go along with 12 from Kennedy Dickie and 11 from Jaeli Ibbetson.
Sixth-place finishers at the B.C. School Sports AA championship tournament last season, the Huskies tuned up for this weekend’s tournament with a pair of lopsided wins in Okanagan Valley senior AAA league play.
The most recent triumph came on Tuesday on home court when the Huskies took the shine off the visiting Salmon Arm Jewels by defeating the one-time provincial powerhouse 87-14.
Pink dominated in all aspects of the game, finishing with 24 points and 16 boards, while Robb, playing in her fourth season with the senior team, chipped in with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Makenna Jacklin, who along with Pink was a member of the B.C. team that won a Canadian U15 championship in August, added eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with 12 points, six steals and four assists by Robinson.
The Huskies opened the season a week earlier by defeating the Mt. Boucherie Bears 101-48.
Makenna, a 6’1” forward, netted 26 points and grabbed nine boards while Pink, playing in her second season with the senior Huskies, contributed 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
A recent signee with Thompson Rivers University, Robb added 21 points while Robinson had 12 points and 10 helpers to go along with Melaina Corrado’s 11 points and nine assists.
Huskies’ head coach, Meghan Faust, responsible in a large part for cultivating the girls’ thriving basketball culture at OKM several years ago, is looking forward to watching her developing team mature in the AAA division.
“It’s a great challenge to be at this level and it will be exciting to see what the girls are capable of. We have a lot to work on with this young team, but we have lots of talent. It will be fun to see what we can do from here.”
Meanwhile, the defending B.C.-champion KSS Owls won their second game in Okanagan league play on Tuesday with a 93-42 decision over the Penticton Lakers .
Dickie, who signed on with the NCAA Division 1 University of Eastern Washington recently, scored 28 points to lead the Owls, who received a 19-point effort from Ibbetson.
Other Okanagan AAA action this week saw the Mt. Boucherie Bears defeat the Rutland Voodoos 65-47. Becca Curtis scored 24 points to pace the Bears' offence while Jordyn Tattersall added 19 in the win. Sam Wambacher led the Voodoos with 19 points and Kenzie Perry chipped in with 10.
Other scores from the Cascades Classic today:
1:30pm Bateman 55 vs Lord Tweedsmuir 43
3:15pm S. Kamloops 76 vs Langley Fundamental 32
5:00pm Duchess Park 75 vs Mouat 45
6:45pm Semiahmoo 105 vs Charles Best 29
3:15pm GW Graham 71 vs MEI 73
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