The Chemainus Cougars junior boys finished the basketball season on a winning note by doubling their pleasure with two victories in one day.
A three-team consolation tournament was held at Chemainus Secondary School last Tuesday, March 7 and the gym was rockin’ for games against Gulf Islands Secondary School and St. John’s Academy.
Students packed the gym at lunchtime and were loud and boisterous for the first game against Gulf Islands.
Whether it was nerves or the effects of a layoff resulting from the cancellation of the games due to snowfall the previous week, the Cougars couldn’t get many shots to drop in the first two quarters while taking a mere 14-7 lead into halftime.
“That first half we looked very rusty,” conceded coach Casey Parsons. “We were sloppy with the ball and made some poor decisions on offense. However, Gulf Islands also struggled to make baskets early.”
That gave Chemainus time to get its game into gear and things came together in the second half with much more productivity for a 50-27 triumph.
“The guys started to move the ball, which led to some easy points in transition,” noted Parsons.
Titus Kennedy led the scoring with 16 points after bouncing back from some uncharacteristic misses for him in the first half. Koen DeWit and Brayden Screaton added six points each and Kai Kasting had four.
The second game was a lot more consistent from start to finish, as the Cougars defeated St. John’s Academy 51-42.
“The guys were sharing the ball, which led to lots of drive and kicks for open shots,” Parsons indicated.
The teams were tied 26-26 at the half. The Cougars went on a 7-0 run early in the third quarter to gain some momentum.
“Key defensive rebounds and some strong finishes around the basket allowed us to close out the game,” Parsons observed.
Ten different players contributed to the scoring.
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don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
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