The Claremont Spartans bathed the Island high school basketball season in glowing red, as in their jersey colour, in both boys鈥� and girls鈥� play.
The sa国际传媒 fourth-ranked Spartans won the Lower Island boys鈥� Quad-A title and go after the Island championship beginning Thursday at Nanaimo District Secondary.
The Claremont girls鈥� team, meanwhile, defeated the Royal Bay Ravens 71-64 in the Island Quad-A final played over the weekend at Belmont to advance to the sa国际传媒 championship tournament Feb. 26-29 at the Langley Events Centre.
The Spartans girls鈥� squad was led by Island all-stars Reese Manns and Kamryn Allen.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a strong group of athletes we have at the school at this time,鈥� said Darren Reisig, athletic director at Claremont, and also coach of the Spartans girls鈥� basketball squad.
鈥淥ur junior boys鈥� and girls鈥� basketball teams both finished third on the Island. All four teams, junior to senior, were good. It goes in cycles.鈥�
The Spartans defeated the Oak Bay Bays 85-81 in the Lower Island boys鈥� final late last week at Spectrum.
鈥淚t was like the old days. It was a great atmosphere with the gym packed,鈥� said Reisig.
The Island boys鈥� player to watch this season is six-foot-nine Ethan Boag of the Spartans, committed to the University of Victoria Vikes.
Boag is supplemented by fellow Claremont forward Noah Helman and Spartans guard Spencer Simeao.
But the starry trio don鈥檛 tell all the story.
鈥淭his is one of the deepest teams we鈥檝e had,鈥� said Claremont boys鈥� team coach Brandon Dunlop.
鈥淲e have had games and tournaments where our seventh or eighth guys could have been named MVPs. We are deep and long [with good height].鈥�
As a player, former Claremont and UVic Vikes star Dunlop was a guard who knew how to move the ball up court. That reflects in his team鈥檚 play.
鈥淲e push the ball well in transition,鈥� said the Spartans bench boss.
Dunlop, however, knows Oak Bay and the host Nanaimo District Islanders will be more than worthy co-favourites for the Island title this week in the Harbour City.
鈥淣anaimo is going to have the advantage of their fans in their barn,鈥� said Dunlop.
At stake are berths into the sa国际传媒 boys鈥� Quad-A championship tournament March 4-7 at the LEC.
OFF THE RIM: Royal Bay, led by Island MVP Maggie Fehr, and the Cowichan Thunderbirds were playing Tuesday to decide who would join Claremont in the provincial girls鈥� Quad-A tournament as the second Island team at the LEC.
