Oak Bay High played tough through regulation and into overtime to claim bronze at the inaugural Vikes Alumni Senior Boys Basketball Invitational at the University of Victoria’s CARSA gym Dec. 30.
Organizers received “very positive feedback from the eight participating teams, Vikes Alumni president Phil Ohl said in a release.
“It was also wonderful to see over 30 former Vikes in attendance, all of whom volunteered in the running of the event,” he added.
In addition to the local Oak Bay High Bays, the three-day tournament field included three teams from Washington State, British Columbia’s 4A No. 1-ranked Walnut Grove and Alberta powerhouse Harry Ainlay, plus St. Michaels University School and Lambrick Park.
Unbeaten Walnut Grove and Kingston High School served up an outstanding opener, with the Gators trailing for much of the contest before scrambling home 92-82. The nightcap between Ainlay and SMUS was played at a similarly furious pace, with Alberta’s Titans registering a 91-81 victory despite 46 points by the SMUS Blue Jags’ Ryan Hindson in a losing cause.
Oak Bay opened with 60-43 win over Vashon Island, with the Bays’ Isaiah Romanow named player of the game.
The Day 2 semifinals also caused a stir, as a clinical 23-6 fourth quarter saw Washington’s Ballard overturn a three-point deficit to hand Walnut Grove its first loss of the season.
In the final match of the day, Harry Ainlay’s speed, athleticism and superior rebounding held sway over Oak Bay, and the Bays lost 81-71.
Day 3 produced the game of the tournament, as Oak Bay and Walnut Grove tangled for the bronze medal.
The Bays held the upper hand for much of the contest, before the Gators edged in front for the first time with two minutes to play. Oak Bay’s Romanow, superb throughout in registering a career-high 28 points, then put his team up 68-66 only to see Ty Rowell connect with five seconds remaining to draw Grove level.
Overtime went back and forth, with both teams missing key players with foul trouble. In the end, as a last Walnut Grove shot bounced off the rim, the Bays, triumphed 79-78.
During the final, a hectic travel schedule seemed to catch up with Harry Ainlay as the Ballard Beavers registered 40
second quarter points en route to a 62-29 lead at intermission. The Titans pushed back in the second half, but Ballard cruised to an 87-59 victory.
Oak Bay’s team award went to Romanow, while the Bays’ Jaden Touchie, signed to the Vikes for the coming season, was the sole Island player named to the All Star Team.