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They had the looks they were working for, but poor shooting proved their downfall as the Kelowna Owls came up short against the top senior AAA girls basketball team in the province on the weekend.
Playing the Walnut Grove Gators, No. 1 in the provincial high school rankings, the Owls led by 10 points in the second quarter, but a lack of finish around the rim and a low shooting percentage overall (including free throws), led to an 84-75 semifinal defeat at the MEI Invitational tournament in Abbotsford.
“It was a great opportunity to play against them (Walnut Grove), and we’re looking forward to meeting them again,” said Heather Semeniuk, who coaches the team with son Darren. “Hopefully it will be a different outcome.”
Taya Hanson — player of the game and a tournament first-team all-star — led the Owls with 28 points against the Gators while Jaeli Ibbetson pitched in with 24 points and 10 rebounds while Kennedy Dickie finished with 13 points and nine boards.
The Owls had opened the tournament by waltzing to an 80-37 win over the Langley Christian Lightning in which Hanson scored 25 points and recorded six steals. Ibbetson, the Owls’ POG, added 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds while Dickie contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
A 76-28 cruise past the unranked St. Thomas More Knights of Burnaby earned the Owls third place.
Dickie, Kelowna’s player of the game and also a first-team all-star selection, led the way with a 16-point effort. Rachel Hare netted 14 points while Ibbetson chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds.
The Owls might get the chance to meet Walnut Grove again this weekend as the two teams are entered in the Centennial Top 10 Tournament in Coquitlam.
KSS boys split four games at tournament in Port Coquitlam
An 83-79 upset of No. 7-ranked (quad-A) W.J. Mouat Hawks of Abbotsford highlighted the Kelowna Owls’ weekend at the prestigious Legal Beagle senior boys basketball tournament in Port Coquitlam.
Going into the 29th annual event ranked as an honourable mention, the Owls won two of four games, their best effort being the victory over Mouat on Saturday.
The Owls outscored the Hawks 15-7 in the late going to pull out the win, with Parker Johnstone leading the way with 30 points that included a trio of three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Cole McAvoy contributed 22 points while Hunter Simson chipped in with 14.
The Owls went on to play the No. 6 Kitsilano Blue Demons in the tournament’s consolation final but dropped an 80-69 decision. Johnstone, a Grade 11 guard, led the way again with 20 points and Simson added 15 to go along with Jackson Obst’s 11.
The Blue Demons, who a week earlier had upset No. 1-ranked Tamanawis Wildcats of Surrey, led 36-34 at the half.
In their opening game of the tournament, the Owls fell 89-75 to the host Terry Fox Ravens (honourable mention) while they bounced back to defeat No. 10 Vancouver College Fighting Irish 84-75.
The Owls are back in action this weekend at the Abbotsford Snowball Tournament while they resume Okanagan Valley quad-A regular-season play Jan. 23 in Salmon Arm.
They’ll play the Rutland Voodoos Jan. 30 at RSS before playing host to the 45th annual Interior Savings Western Canada Basketball Tournament Feb. 1-3 at Kelowna Secondary School.
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