THE Howe Sound senior boys basketball championships are in full swing with AAA action heating up and the AA league about to boil over.
On the AA side, the top-seeded Collingwood Cavaliers scored a big win on Monday night, knocking off Elphinstone to earn a berth in the championship final. The Cavaliers will now wait to see which of three remaining teams will move on to the final where they'll need to knock off Collingwood twice to win the double-knockout tournament.
On Tuesday night after North Shore News press deadline Seycove faced Howe Sound. The winner of that game will meet Elphinstone tonight at 6 p.m. at Collingwood with a berth in the final on the line.
The AA championship will be decided Thursday night and, if necessary, Friday night at Collingwood.
On the AAA side the tournament's first and second seeds will be in action Thursday night. Handsworth and Sentinel tied for the league lead in points during the regular season but Sentinel secured top spot due to a tiebreaking formula. That distinction earned the Spartans the right to host the championships and tomorrow night they'll begin play with a game against either Sutherland or West Vancouver, who played each other in an elimination game Tuesday night following press deadline. Sentinel will take to their home floor at 7: 45 p.m. Thursday.
Handsworth, meanwhile, will meet Carson Graham Thursday night in a rematch of last year's championship final. That game starts at 6 p.m. at Sentinel.
The tournament will culminate with the Howe Sound championship final Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. and, if necessary, a final game Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at Sentinel.
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The North Shore Secondary Schools' Athletics Association released the names of their basketball all-stars Tuesday. Here are some names to watch out for at this week's senior boys AAA Howe Sound Championships: First all-stars: Armin Amini, Handsworth, guard, Grade 12; Jesse Burns, West Vancouver, post, grade 12; Adam Karmali, Handsworth, guard, Grade 11; Brayden Lenius, Carson Graham, forward, Grade 11; Mitchell Merilees, Sutherland, guard, Grade 12; Chase Ruttenberg, Sentinel, guard, Grade 12.
Second all-stars: Braedan Fitzpatrick, Sentinel, guard, Grade 11; Luka Petkovic, Handsworth, guard, Grade 12; Austin Penrose, Sentinel, post, Grade 11; Daniel Servillon, Carson Graham, guard, Grade 12; Graddy Zubaidi, Sutherland, guard, Grade 11.
Honourable mentions: Aidan Milburn, Sentinel, guard, Grade 12; Kassim Shivji, Argyle, guard, Grade 12; Mitchell Wuttunee, Carson Graham, forward, Grade 12.
Here are the all-stars from the North Shore premier girls: First all-stars: Robyn Aulin-Haynes, Argyle, post, Grade 11; Vanessa Botteselle, St. Thomas Aquinas, guard, Grade 11; Chelsea Dekleer, Argyle, guard, Grade 12; Abby Dixon, Handsworth, guard, Grade 12; Claire Elliott, Argyle, guard, Grade 12; Elisa Homer, Handsworth, guard, Grade 12.
Second all-stars: Angela Clarke, St. Thomas Aquinas, post, Grade 11; Elizabeth Hamlin, Handsworth, forward, Grade 12; Shalayne Scott, Argyle, guard, Grade 11; Delaney Steel, Handsworth, forward, Grade 12; Sophie Swant, Argyle, forward, Grade 10; Kate Mockler, St. Thomas Aquinas, guard, Grade 11.
