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Hoops teams rise, fall at playoff tournaments

The Wellington Wildcats senior AA girls are Nanaimo’s first team to make it through to provincials.
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Wellington Wildcats player Kaitlyn Franklin scores a lay-up during a game against the Woodlands Eagles on Thursday at the North Island championships at the Wellington Secondary School gym.

Some of the city’s high school basketball teams are handling the bounces of the post-season, while others are all done.

The Wellington Wildcats senior AA girls are Nanaimo’s first team to make it through to provincials after winning the Island championship on Saturday in Courtenay. Ally Keir was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player.

The ’Cats advance to provincials March 5-8 in Langley.

Wellington’s senior AAA boys are also enjoying playoff success, as the team won the North Island championship Wednesday in Courtenay. Welly defeated the host Isfeld Ice 66-61 in the final after thumping Carihi 74-34 the day before.

The Wildcats host Islands starting Thursday (Feb. 27) at the Wellington Secondary School gym. The tournament begins with a Welly-versus-Stelly’s matchup at 2 p.m.

Also competing at senior AAA boys’ Islands will be the Nanaimo District Islanders, who placed third at North Islands in Courtenay thanks to a 68-48 win on Wednesday over Carihi. NDSS had lost 69-56 to Isfeld the day before.

The Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAAA boys came third at North Islands in Courtenay this past weekend, finishing with a 68-60 win over Alberni on Saturday. Islands start Thursday at Port Alberni.

Meanwhile, some local high school b-ball teams have been eliminated.

The Barsby Blazers fared the best of the city’s senior AA boys’ teams, placing fifth at Islands in Victoria this past weekend. The Woodlands Eagles were the other team involved, finishing seventh. Barsby won a matchup between the two teams 53-43 on Friday. Chris DeGoutiere scored 25 points for the Blazers in that one, with Zack Williams leading Woodlands with 17. Barsby finished the tourney with a 74-71 loss to Highland. DeGoutiere scored 25 points and Shawn Arabsky had 17.

Dover Bay's junior girls' and junior boys' basketball teams are both heading to provincials as the Dolphins junior boys won the Island title and the Dolphins junior girls were runners-up at their Island tourney.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com