The Islanders are Island champions.
Nanaimo District Secondary School’s senior AAA boys’ basketball team won the Vancouver Island title on Saturday, defeating the Wellington Wildcats 79-43 at Vic High.
Last year, the same two teams met in the Island final, with the ’Cats winning, but this year’s rematch wasn’t close.
Anders Cederberg led NDSS with 21 points and 11 rebounds and was chosen tournament MVP. Will Fridriksson had 14 points and was a first-team all-star and Owen Morrison was chosen Best Defensive Player. For the Wildcats, Ryder Jenks and Alex Staniforth were selected as first-team all-stars.
Both NDSS and Wellington advance to provincial championships, to be played March 8-11 in Langley.
Also in Victoria on Saturday, the Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAAA boys placed fourth at Islands and are eliminated from playoffs. Dover was chosen the tournament’s Most Sportsamanlike Team and Ryan MacDonald was named a second team all-star.
At senior A boys’ Islands in Duncan, the Nanaimo Christian School Trail Blazers came third, defeating Ucluelet 55-52 in the third-place game. Michal Loots was chosen a first-team all-star and Ben Sijpheer was a second-team all-star.
The Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAA girls are the other local high school senior team still in playoffs. They began provincials Wednesday in Langley.