Four games took place for the 2013 Okanagan Basketball All-Star games March 30 that welcomed a number of skilled high school players from the Okanagan valley to the UBC-O Heat home. Games took place for junior and senior boys and girls.
Junior Girls
What began as a close game in the first half became a pull-away win for the Dark team as they won 54-31 against the Light team. Okanagan Mission Secondary’s Claire Smeltzer was the Dark team’s player of the game and finished with a game-high 10 points. Three of her teammates recorded seven points — Princess Margaret’s Danielle Ruocco, Kelowna Secondary’s Paige Briscoe and Kalamalka’s Jordan Karol. The Light team’s player of the game was Rebecah Salway, who finished with six points that were all recorded in a strong second quarter. Princeton’s Samantha Simons added five points while Immaculata’s Amanda Grant chipped in four.
Junior Boys
The Light team held a lead for most of the game until the Dark team locked down on defence for the fourth quarter to pull out a 54-51 win. Summerland’s Abishek Lekhi was the Dark team’s player of the game with a game-high 15 points. Mount Boucherie’s Quincy Johnson added eight and Jeff Tubbs scored seven. Dr. Knox’s Matt LaFontaine was the Light team’s player of the game behind a 10-point outing. Teammates Moises Blandon (Okanagan Mission) and Vinayak Pendharkar (Kelowna) scored six and five points, respectively.
Senior Girls
Continuing a trend, the Dark team ended up running away with this one as they defeated the Light team 68-54.
Princeton’s Julia Reichert was the Dark team’s player of the game with 14 points. Kiana Lalonde (Kelowna Secondary) led all scorers with 21 points alongside Reichert. South Kamloops’ Maya Olynyk rounded out the winning team’s double-digit scorers with 10. Vernon Secondary’s Jenna Marrion was player of the game for the Light team, posting 12 points. Teammates Ashley Truman (Mount Boucherie) and Jaeda Stanhope (Kelowna Secondary) pitched in eight and 10 points, respectively.
Senior Boys
Capping off the night, the senior boys Light team held off a late rally and pulled away from the Dark team to a 96-80 finish with an Alex Hart dunk at the buzzer. Hart (Immaculata) was the Light team’s player of the game with a game-high and day-leading 29 points as he dominated from everywhere. Teammates Joe Davis (Westside) and Parminder Sidhu (South Okanagan Secondary) dropped 10 and nine points, respectively, in the effort alongside Hart. Kelowna Secondary’s Joel Burma poured in 21 points to lead the Dark team en route to player of the game honours. Kelowna Christian’s Ryan Lintell added 13 while Kelowna Secondary’s Cooper Simson chipped in eight points in the loss.