There are no second chances for BurWest champions Burnaby South Rebels.
The Rebels were beaten to the ball and to the hoop by the No. 7-ranked Vancouver College Fighting Irish in an 86-70 loss in the Lower Mainland quad A high school boys’ basketball championship semifinal at the Richmond Oval on Wednesday.
South left too many points on the floor, missing numerous otherwise easy shots under the basket, while creating many unforced errors against a College team that was quick to capitalize on each and every mistake all game long.
“It was like we didn’t come out,” said South’s Martin Bogajev, who led all scorers with 25 points. “I don’t think we came out hard enough, and they came out really hard. They played good and we played bad.”
The Irish took control of the game from the outset despite giving up inches and size at every position to the No. 10 Rebels.
What College lacked in stature they more than made up in hustle and execution, outrebounding the Rebels with quickness and finding the open man with precision and accuracy.
College built a 31-18 lead after the opening first quarter and never really lost that advantage.
Bogajev carried South on his shoulders in the second quarter, scoring 13 of the team’s total 15 points, including three long-range threes.
South made a run in the third quarter helped out by steals from E.J. Mabone and Bogajev. Mabone finished with 10 points.
Djordje Obradovic tied the contest at 50-50 with a transition bucket midway through the quarter, but College replied with a 13-2 run to silence the Rebel rally.
Vancouver College guard Joseph Anthony came off the bench to lead the Irish with 21 points, including five treys.
Substitute Jack Coady also had a strong game for College with 18 points.
South meet an old rival in Kitsilano in the back-door semifinal today (Thursday) at the Richmond Olympic Oval at 7:30 p.m.
Last year, Kits defeated Burnaby South 68-58 in the 2013 Lower Mainland championship final.
The New Westminster Hyacks threw a third-quarter scare into the St. George’s Saints before succumbing 100-72 at the Richmond Olympic Oval on Wednesday.
Darwin Colita led the Hyacks with 16 points, while fellow senior Peter Szinku chipped in with 15.
Trailing 53-41 at halftime, New West went on a 13-2 run to start the third quarter capped by a Szinku layin that shaved the deficit to a single point. But that was a close as the Hyacks got.
“They hit a bunch of threes and we didn’t get the stops, and their big guy was outrebounding us,” said Szinku after the game.
The loss eliminated New Westminster from further provincial qualifying.
In Lower Mainland AAA boys’ play, St. Thomas More qualified for the B.C.s and a shot at the Mainland title, following an 85-70 victory over McNair. Reese Morris led the way with 29 points.
Byrne Creek also stayed alive, defeating Lord Byng 77-71. Stanley Ho and Bodi Geoffrey paced the Bulldogs with 15 points apiece.Junior guard Malik Holmes drained four free throws down the stretch that quelled a late Lord Byng rally.
“It was a two-point game at one stretch and (Malik) hit those four free throws and we didn’t look back,” said Byrne Creek head coach Bal Dhillon.
Medal games will be played at the Richmond Oval on Friday.
