The Vernon Panthers have captured a spot in the provincial high school basketball championships!
In a nail-biting final against the South Kamloops Titans, Iker Lopetegui, a Grade 10 player from Spain, scored two crucial free throws with just five seconds left. His shots secured a 62-61 victory for the Panthers in the Okanagan Valley AAA Boys Basketball Final.
Lopetegui was named a tournament all-star after showcasing his skills throughout the weekend. He drove straight down the lane, got fouled, and then calmly made both free throws to put Vernon ahead. After this pivotal moment, the Panthers executed their game plan, avoiding fouls as the Titans took their last shot.
“They got a shot away, but it wasn’t close,” said head coach Mark Zaino. His son, Domenic, picked up the MVP award for the tournament and scored 11 points in the final. Lopetegui led the team with 13 points. Adding to the excitement, Jonah Lee, a Grade 12 starter, also received all-star recognition.
Vernon had to overcome significant challenges during the match. At one point, they were down by 14 points. Earlier this season, the Panthers only narrowly beat the Titans by two points when they faced off at home.
“Two games and we beat them by just three points total,” Zaino said. “Winning the Okanagan title feels incredible. This team has faced a lot of adversity and showed great determination.”
Now, the Panthers will represent the Okanagan in the B.C. finals from March 5-8 in Langley. They earned their spot by making a comeback against the Sa-Hali Sabres from Kamloops, winning 83-70 despite trailing by eight points earlier in the game, with Zaino scoring an impressive 29 points.
Meanwhile, the South Kamloops Titans advanced to the final after defeating Vernon’s Fulton Maroons 72-46.
Okanagan Valley A Championships
The Immaculata Mustangs from Kelowna will head to the B.C. A finals alongside three other teams. They won their championship by defeating the Aberdeen Hall Griffins 79-61.
The Osoyoos Rattlers secured the third spot after winning against the St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders, who clinched the fourth berth.
Immaculata had a strong tournament, winning their opener against the Eagle River Talons of Sicamous 76-40 and knocking off the Rattlers 64-59 in the semifinals. Aberdeen Hall started their journey with a large win over Desert Sands and then beat St. Ann’s in the semifinals.
Sadly, the Talons didn’t win any games, finishing 0-3 in the tournament.
Okanagan Valley AA Championships
The championship game in Kamloops featured a thrilling match between the Summerland Rockets and the Westsyde Whundas, ending with the Rockets winning in overtime, 117-115. Both teams are headed to the provincials.
Summerland’s journey included a substantial win over the Merritt Panthers in their opener and a strong showing in the semifinals against the Southern Okanagan Hornets.
On the other hand, the Whundas dominated their matches, scoring over 100 points each game until the final challenge.
The other teams, including the Kalamalka Lakers, faced mixed outcomes, with the Lakers ending their tournament after losing the bronze-medal game to the Hornets.
Okanagan Valley 4A Championships
The Mt. Boucherie Bears shocked everyone by defeating the Kelowna Owls 75-72 for the Okanagan Valley championship, making them the only team from the Okanagan to move on to the B.C. finals.
Despite being the fourth seed, the Bears upset the No. 2 Rutland Thunder in the semifinals and are now set for a big showdown in Langley.
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