Sure, the big dawgs have to eat.
But the small cats require their odd nibble as well.
The Parkland Panthers hope to get their licks in beginning Thursday as the double-A Island senior girls basketball championship hits the floor at St. Michaels University School.
The eight-team tournament tips off with coach Larry Green鈥檚 Panthers facing a tough challenge in top-ranked Wellington at 2 p.m.
鈥淚 like where we are, to be honest,鈥� said Green, whose club features tall talents in Jamie Hargreaves, Kate Service and Breanna Clooney, who all stand over six feet. 鈥淓very time we play a good team, we seem to step up. I don鈥檛 mind being an unknown commodity in all this.鈥�
Parkland鈥檚 juggernaut, though, might be Grade 11 guard Kristy Gallagher, who is averaging 34 points per game.
Parkland has run up a 16-8 record and one would have to go back a long way (the 1980s) since a Panthers鈥� senior team has gone a fair distance.
鈥淚 try to be a realist. If the girls are healthy and we play well, anything can happen,鈥� said Green. 鈥淲ellington was a perfect example of that last year. I think the team I have is good enough to do that. You need a little luck, but our girls play hard.鈥�
In Wellington they will face talented provincial player Sara Simovic and a high-pressure defence.
The opening game will be followed by Lambrick Park vs. Mark Isfeld at 3:45 p.m., before SMUS takes to its own floor at 5:30 p.m. against Kwalikum. The last matchup of the night features Parksville鈥檚 Ballenas against Shawnigan Lake at 7:15.
Semifinals are slated for Friday at 3:45 and 5:30 p.m. and the championship final tips off at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Two teams will advance to provincials in Kamloops, March 6-9, with the third-place team playing a challenge game versus a Lower Mainland team on Monday for an extra berth.
In double-A boys鈥� play, coach Ian Hyde-Lay鈥檚 SMUS Blue Jags are coming off a 58-51 South Island championship win over Lambrick Park and hopes to carry momentum into the Island tournament, which also begins today at Wellington.
The Blue Jags will face Nanaimo in a late 7:15 p.m. game. Wellington gets it started at 2 p.m. vs. Shawnigan, which won the play-in challenge versus Ballenas, 57-54 on Monday. Lambrick faces Woodlands at 3:45 p.m. and Brentwood College draws Mark Isfeld at 5:30 p.m.
Semifinals go Friday at 5:30 and 7:15 p.m., with the title matchup slated for Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
鈥淚t鈥檚 too close to call,鈥� said Hyde-Lay. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 read anything into past results. Teams have improved significantly. There should be some exciting games.鈥�
Hyde-Lay鈥檚 Blue Jags used 14 points from Georgios Ikonomou to win the South crown Saturday after a bad stretch of games in weeks previous in which they had lost five of eight.
鈥淲e played rather nicely in the last couple of games, at least defensively,鈥� said Hyde-Lay.
Three teams advance to provincials, also March 6-9 in Kamloops, and a fourth will have a play-in game.
IN THE PAINT: In recent Junior boys鈥� play, SMUS defeated Oak Bay 55-41 to capture the boys鈥� title, while Lambrick downed Mt. Doug 58-44 for third. The three advance to Island championship at Vanier Feb. 21-23. In girls鈥� play, Claremont beat Oak Bay 45-27 in the final, while Pacific Christian defeated Belmont 34-32 for third. All four advance to Islands at Claremont Feb. 21-23.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
