Bombers flying high to start High School hoop season
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily Sports
The L.V. Rogers sent a strong message to the rest of the Kootenays the road to the B.C. High School AA Boy’s Basketball Championships travels through the Heritage City.
For the second weekend the Bombers made it to a tournament final, this time winning the Mount Sentinel High School Boy’s Basketball title with a convincing 72-47 victory over the J. Lloyd Crowe Hawks Saturday in South Slocan.
Last weekend in Kamloops, LVR lost to the NorKam Saints in the final of the Westsyde Wundas tournament. “The thing that impressed me about the tournament was the team play,” head coach Blair D’Andrea told The Nelson Daily Monday.
Jason D’Andrea pour into 34 points to lead the Bombers to the lopsided victory. “Jason wasn’t shooting that well in the first two game but was unconscious through three quarters when I took him out,” D’Andrea said.
LVR made it look easy against the rebuilding Hawks. John Zak had 14 points while Garrett Perry added 10.
LVR advanced to the final by outlasting the Selkirk Storm of Kimberley 89-66. The contest was close for until LVR tightened up the defensive pressure on the Storm.
Clay Rickaby was a force in the paint, collecting 24 points while pulling down countless rebounds. Zak had a strong game with 20 points while Jason D’Andrea has 21. Perry added 10 points.
“We wanted to send a message back to the East Kootenay we are the team to beat to go to provincials,” D’Andrea exclaimed.
LVR gained some revenge in the opener by pounding the Osoyoos Rattlers 70-21. The Rattlers upset the Bombers in the final during the 2009 Mount Sentinel Tournament.
This season the contest was over early. Rickaby led all scorers with 26 points while Zak scored ten.
The Bombers 5-1 on the season, get a huge test as the club travels to Cranbrook Friday to compete in the Mount Baker Wild tournament.
LVR will see some very strong AAA opposition from Alberta along with the always-tough Wild.
However, the Bombers will be looking to send another message to the East when the club meets Golden, a perennial contender for the Kootenay AA Zone title.
Wolves hit by Storm
Selkirk edged Grand Forks Wolves 59-57 in the consolation final earlier Saturday at Mount Sentinel while Nakusp edged Heritage Christian 71-68 in the fifth-sixth contest.
Host Mount Sentinel rode the 21-point performance of Steve
Hernandez to dump Osoyoos Rattlers 65-33 to finish seventh overall.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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