This story was updated at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Junior boys teams tipped off B.C. high school basketball championship season at Langley Events Centre, Saturday through Tuesday (Feb. 22-25).
Six Surrey teams are among 32 at the tournament including Lord Tweedsmuir (ranked #4 heading in), Fleetwood Park, Holy Cross, Pacific Academy, Salish and Sullivan Heights.
Monday evening, Cloverdale's Tweedsmuir team was in a semifinal game against Argyle (North Vancouver), for a chance to play in Tuesday's final at the LEC's South Court, but fell 62-48.
On opening day, the #22-ranked Sullivan Heights Stars won twice — 63-57 over #11 Sardis Falcons and 56-42 over Lambrick Park Lions — to end up on the championship side of the draw. Sunday, the Stars then fell 58-45 to #3 Terry Fox Ravens (Port Coquitlam), with Spencer McEvoy scoring 22 points for Sullivan Heights.
Also Sunday, 22 points from Gurtaj Hayer helped Tweedsmuir to a spot in the semifinal round with a 71-57 win over Vancouver College. Hayer was one of four Panthers to reach double figures, alongside Athwal Jaideep (16 points), Julka Maahir (14) and Shae Kaila (10).
Elsewhere, the junior girls basketball B.C. championship tourney was played in Chilliwack from Friday to Sunday, Feb. 21-23.
At the LEC, schedules and stats for the 10 provincial high school hoops tournaments are posted on bchighschoolbasketballchampionships.com.
Next up at the LEC are senior girls in four divisions (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A), with B.C.'s largest schools in 4A play starting Wednesday (Feb. 26). Heading in, Surrey's Holy Cross Crusaders are the top-ranked 2A team and play a tournament-opening game at 8:30 a.m. vs. Hazelton, at LEC Fieldhouse. The 2A final will be played 3:15 p.m. Saturday, March 1 at the LEC Arena Bowl.
Meantime, the boys 4A South Fraser championship is being played at Tamanawis Secondary, where Monday's game-winners were Grandview Heights, Fleetwood Park, Tamanawis and Holy Cross.
South Fraser receives four berths to the provincial tournament at the LEC, with final games at Tamanawis on Thursday (Feb. 27). The 1st/2nd placement game will see Holy Cross take on Tamanawis at 7 p.m. The 3rd/4th placement game, at 3:30 p.m., will match the winners of two Wednesday games, between Tweedsmuir/Grandview Heights and Fleetwood Park/Semiahmoo.
