The Alberni District Secondary School Armada senior boys basketball have docked their ship for the season.
The Armada boys lost their challenge game to Victoria’s Spectrum Community School on Tuesday in Ladysmith. The Armada were down 24-2 after the first quarter but clawed back to within one point before losing 70-61 in the final.
“We gave them the win in the first quarter and had nothing left in the tank when we came back,” head coach Neelan Parmar said.
Last weekend, the Armada placed fourth at the AAA North Island Championships in Cowichan. They lost 111-73 to Cowichan then 70-53 to GP Vanier 70-53. Cowichan placed first and Dover Bay second.
The Armada’s fourth place finish bought them the challenge game against Spectrum, which placed fifth at the AAA South Island Championships.
The North Islands was closer than the scores indicate, Parmar said.
In the game against Vanier, Towhees guard Joaquin Paterna eluded the Armada’s defensive schemes, scoring 11 points including several three pointers and passing for several more. The Towhees successfully applied their own press defense forcing Armada turnovers and nullifying an attack.
“We stayed out of foul trouble but the damage was done. We couldn’t shake them,” Parmar said.
It was the last high school game for several Grade 12 Armada players including backcourt duo Josh Kurucz and Brayden Kirschner. Kurucz was still on the mend from a severe charley horse Kurucz received during Totem in January.
Armada junior guard Bryce Greenwood impressed Parmar. “He made the most out of his minutes. He has an attack mentality and is tenacious,” he said. “He was like a tough Energizer Bunny out there.”
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