The KVR Express basketball coaches were not discouraged by their losing records in the sixth KVR Hooper Bowl last weekend.
The Grade 8 girls team won one of four games, but coach René Aubin was excited about their play. The Express beat a shorthanded Kalamalka team 35-13, then lost to Westsyde (Kamloops) #1, 36-32, Abbotsford 36-30 and Dr. Knox 38-36. Dr. Knox, the tournament winners, and Westsyde have blown out teams in the Okanagan this year. Aubin sees it as a confidence builder for the girls to lose two close games against such strong teams.
The defeat by Abbotsford was a boost in confidence because in December Lower Mainland school soundly defeated KVR by 25. The girls were led by tournament all-star Britney Young.
The Express boys were winless in four games. They lost 38-37 to Kalamalka, 51-24 to Fulton, 45-39 to Sa-Hali, and 43-11 to Abbotsford. Express coach Blair Haddrell saw positives from all the games.
“We have had issues of coming out flat to start games, but this weekend the best part of each game was our defence in the first quarter, he said. “When the boys have that defensive mindset they can stop anyone, it’s just a matter of doing it for the whole game.”
The Abbotsford game was big for the Express as they were without their top three point guards. The Express were able to cut a 62-point loss from the first time they met the eventual tournament champs. The Express were led by tournament all-star Andre Rachinski, who played his best defensive game of the season against Fulton.
The tournament had 15 teams from the Okanagan and Abbotsford.