The St. Thomas More Knights swept both boys’ and girls’ junior varsity Chancellor basketball tournaments.
Grade 8 Shiloh Corrales-Nelson and Richard Galicia won their respective MVPs for the victorious girls’ and boys’ Knights.
Corrales-Nelson scored 15 points to lead the host team to a 42-20 win over the New Westminster Hyacks – the same team that beat them last month at the Bob Gair Classic.
“This was a great win for us,” said STM coach Jen Farano. “Anabela Chiu rebounded extremely well, and our point guard Emma Stewart-Barnett played amazing defence, while running our offence.”
Marcella Mauro netted eight points to lead STM past Langley Christian 40-24 in the tournament semifinal.
In the boys’ JV final, the honourable mention Knights came back from a double-digit deficit to upset No. 1-ranked Walnut Grove 60-58 on Saturday. EJ Escobedo and Liam Feenan led the Knights back from the 15-point, third-quarter deficit in the win over the Gators.
Earlier, Galicia nailed a game-winning buzzer beater in the tournament semifinal that beat No. 7-ranked Killarney 49-47 to advance the Knights into the Chancellor final.
“The boys showed a true Knights’ never give-up attitude,” said STM JV head coach Dominic Zimmermann.
B.C. Catholics
STM placed second-best at the B.C. Catholics basketball tournament.
The Knight boys placed third at the annual showdown following a 48-41 win over St. Patrick’s of Vancouver on Saturday.
JJ DesLauriers led STM with 15 points in the consolation final.
Vancouver College defeated Holy Cross 66-53 to win the Catholic tourney.
STM failed to advance to the final after falling to No. 10 quad A Holy Cross 66-53 behind Edward Ju’s 13 points.
“We just turned the ball over too many times to win,” said STM head coach Aaron Mitchell. “Overall, we still need to compete harder and communicate like a team in order to get where we want.”
Cam Morris scored 11 points in STM’s 39-34 opening-tournament win over Notre Dame.
The Knight girls finished in fourth place at the Catholics, losing in overtime 42-41 to Little Flower Academy in the consolation final. Zion Corrales-Nelson led STM with 24 points, while Xenia Dumont contributed 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive boards.
STM lost 50-43 in double OT to Holy Cross after giving up a huge 22-6 first-half lead in the semifinal. Corrales-Nelson led the way with 19 points and eight steals.
Stephanie Von Riedermann and Laurette Ticong both scored 10 points in an opening win over St. Pat’s.
“It was a tough weekend for the girls,” said head coach Jen Farano.
