Two more local high school basketball teams are through to the big dance.
The Wellington Wildcats and Nanaimo District Islanders finished second and third, respectively, at senior AAA boys’ Island championships and advance to provincials. The tournament was held this past weekend at the Wellington Secondary School gym and the host ’Cats made it to the title game, which they dropped 57-39 to the Isfeld Ice on Saturday night. Tyler Radelja led the home team with 17 points and the Wildcats had the game as close as 40-35 before the visitors pulled away.
NDSS beat Reynolds 79-65 in the third-place game to make provincials. The day before, the two Nanaimo teams played one another with Wellington beating Nanaimo District 81-48. Radelja had 28 points in that one, his teammate Nick Roshuk had 22 and the Islanders' Tyus Barfoot scored 17.
Welly’s Radelja, Dylan Dorsey and Malcolm Rush were tournament all-stars, as were ND’s Barfoot and Callum Gemma.
The senior AAAA boys' Island championships were also held this past weekend, with the Dover Bay Dolphins competing at Port Alberni. Dover finished fifth, losing 89-73 to Mt. Doug, beating Belmont 75-51, then losing 82-59 to Oak Bay.
In high school girls' basketball action, the Wellington Wildcats senior AA squad is getting ready to tip off provincials on Wednesday (March 5) at the Langley Events Centre. The Wildcats begin play that night with an 8:45 p.m. game against Princess Margaret.
COURT SHORTS … Senior AAA boys' provincials will be March 11-15, also at the LEC. For the Islanders, it will be their first time competing at provincials in 26 years and the team was caught a bit off-guard. They are trying to fundraise for their trip; to help out, please call Veronica Buck, community school coordinator at NDSS, at 250-740-2026 or 250-668-5444.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com