This week’s Bob Carkner Memorial Classic is going to provide a sneak preview of what’s going to be one heck of a Lower Mainland Boys “AAA” Tournament next month.
The annual 16-team boys and girls tournament at Steveston-London Secondary School tips off on Thursday and concludes Saturday. While the McMath Wildcats are expected to roll to the girls title, the boys is anyone’s guess thanks to a draw that features three provincial heavyweights.
The defending champion and No. 5 Sharks are joined by No. 1 Lord Byng and No. 3 Byrne Creek. All three teams are expected to be in action again weeks from now at the Richmond Olympic Oval where they will be joined by No. 2 St. Thomas More and other ranked schools to battle for just four provincial tourney berths.
Steveston-London opens play Thursday against North Delta’s Sands Scorpions at 2 p.m. A win would set-up a potential semi-final on Friday (8:10 p.m.) with the Valleyview Vikings — a Kamloops school that qualified for the provincials a year ago. The other final four match-up should be Byng against Byrne Creek (4:50 p.m.), with the winning teams meeting in Saturday’s championship game at 7:15 p.m.
The rankings are expected to change when they are released again on Thursday after Byng lost to No. 8 Rick Hansen at the Churchill tourney. That should pave the way for STM to take over the No. 1 spot after capturing its own Chancellor tourney with a 65-54 win over Byrne Creek in the final.
The Sharks were looking to repeat at the 16-team Burnaby Catholic school event but settled for fifth place after falling 76-74 to No. 10 Robert Bateman in the quarter-finals. Steveston-London allowed a 19-point third quarter lead to slip away in what was a rematch of last year’s provincial final eight game against the Abbotsford school.
“I think some of our guys thought it was over at that point and kind of stopped playing,” said Sharks head coach Mike Stoneburgh. “We also struggled at the free throw line and that has been our achilles heal all season.”
Despite the tough result, Stoneburgh is pleased his team is getting a steady diet of top opponents at the Carkner Classic and other tourneys. Steveston-London will also be facing STM in exhibition play later this month.
Fardaws Aimaq put up big numbers against Bateman with 34 points, 22 rebounds and 11 blocks.
Steveston-London defeated St. Michael’s University 75-58 in consolation play, then dominated city rival McMath 116-57 in the fifth place game.
The Wildcats’ bowed out of championship contention after a 100-68 loss to Chilliwack’s GW Graham — ranked No. 3 among “AA” size schools.
The girls side of the Carkner Classic includes the host Sharks taking on Whitehorse’s FH Collins on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
McMath will open play against John Oliver, while Cambie takes on Surrey’s Clayton Heights. Other participating schools include Valleyview and North Delta’s Burnsview.
The girls final tips off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
