The Woodlands Eagles made it 10 wins in a row on Tuesday.
The senior AA boys’ basketball team defeated the Cedar Spartans 84-65 at the Woodlands Secondary School gym.
The outcome, perhaps, was still in doubt in the third quarter, but the Eagles found a way to surge ahead.
Bryson Cox led Woodlands with 32 points, Van Waes had 19 and Connor Robertson scored 18.
Brendan McCarthy had a game-high 34 points for Cedar.
“Once we get our whole team involved, it really helps our game,” said Erik Van Waes, Eagles veteran. “We need to get everyone incorportated and then we can start sharing the ball, moving the defence a little more and then I think we’re a much more dangerous team.”
Van Waes said the win streak gives his team lots of confidence.
“A team’s a lot better when it’s happy,” he said. “You feel a little bit better about your shot, about your plays, you’ve got more confidence to pass, everything.”
Another local game Tuesday saw the Barsby Blazers fall to the Ladysmith 49ers at the John Barsby Community Secondary School gym. No score was available.
“We had a really good defensive effort but we were having a hard time finishing around the hoop,” said Kirstin Polz, Blazers coach.
Jason Jia and Nathan Berg had strong games for the home team in the loss.
In out-of-town action, the Dover Bay Dolphins senior AAA girls won handily in Duncan, beating the Cowichan Thunderbirds 70-42. Emily Shires scored 31 points and Gabby Jeffrey scored 10.
Also on the road, Woodlands’ senior AA girls just missed winning on Tuesday, falling 56-55 in Courtenay to the Isfeld Ice.
“I don’t think we played well at all. We had some defensive lapses that hurt us,” said Carl Macdonald, coach of the Eagles girls.
Michelle Berti led Woodlands with 15 points and Margaret Edwardson scored 10.
Macdonald said his team had a couple of looks at game-winning shots, but the basketball rolled off the rim.
GAME ON … There are two games on the schedule tonight (Jan. 19). The Wellington Wildcats senior AA girls host the Nanaimo District Islanders at 5 p.m. at the Wellington Secondary School gym and the Barsby Blazers senior AA boys host Kwalikum at 6:30 p.m. at the John Barsby Community Secondary School gym.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com