In five tries this season, the Kelowna Owls didn乌鸦传媒檛 have an answer for the Walnut Grove Gators.
In the end, Harry Parmar乌鸦传媒檚 team had to be content with being second best in B.C. 4A boys high school basketball.
On Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre, the Gators defeated the defending B.C.-champion Owls for the fifth straight time, 78-65 in the provincial final.
乌鸦传媒淲e wanted to go back and win gold and the guys gave it everything they had,乌鸦传媒� said Parmar, who just completed 10th season as head coach of the senior boys program. 乌鸦传媒淲e had trouble with their size and just couldn乌鸦传媒檛 find a way to beat them. It came to down just inches here and there, but that乌鸦传媒檚 the way it is.乌鸦传媒�
Owls乌鸦传媒� graduating guard Mason Bourcier, who was named the championship game乌鸦传媒檚 top player, capped off a solid tournament and brilliant season with 29 points in the final. Fellow senior Owen Keyes, who along with Bourcier was named a tournament all-star, added 18 points.
Parmar said Bourcier, who also had a game-high 41 points in Friday乌鸦传媒檚 semifinal win over Oak Bay, was the backbone of the Owls all season long.
乌鸦传媒淢ason opened a few more eyes at provincials and piqued the interest of some schools down south,乌鸦传媒� said Parmar. 乌鸦传媒淗e put the team on his back this season. After the players we lost from last year, he took it to heart and really showed his character. He was outstanding for us.乌鸦传媒�
With the likes of Parker Simson, Matt Lafontaine, Grant Shephard and Nav Sandhu leaving from last year乌鸦传媒檚 championship, many wondered if the Owls would have the ammunition to once again contend for a title.
Parmar said his players stepped up to the challenge.
乌鸦传媒淗ats off to our guys for the year they had,乌鸦传媒� said Parmar. 乌鸦传媒淚t was a big accomplishment to get back to the final.乌鸦传媒�
As for the next season and the future of the program, Parmar believes the Owls continue to be headed in the right direction.
乌鸦传媒淚 think we have a really good foundation and a philosophy of what we want to do here. You can乌鸦传媒檛 always win but you can keep building, so that乌鸦传媒檚 what we want to do.乌鸦传媒�
The Owls have won medals in each of the last three seasons at provincials乌鸦传媒攂ronze in 2015, gold in 2016 and silver in 2017.
