Kwalikum Secondary School’s senior boys basketball team pulled out a thrilling last-minute upset win on home court Tuesday night, beating the league’s front-running Wellington Wildcats 58-57.
“That was a tremendous win for those boys,” one chuffed KSS athletic director/Junior Boys coach Butch Gayton said Thursday.
He added that the last four games played out at KSS have been decided by a total difference of eight points.
On Jan. 11 Kwalikum’s Jr. Girls beat their rivals from Ballenas for the second time in four days when they hung on to win 42-38.
The two teams met at the Totem Tournamnet in Port Alberni (the oldest high school basketball tournament in B.C.) with KSS head coach Jesse Witte and his squad coming out on top.
In the rematch at KSS, Michelle Waters poured in a game-high 16 points. Michaela Witte dialled up 11.
In the second game of the double header at KSS, Kwalikum’s Jr. Boys failed to capitalize in the final two minutes and were trimmed 39-38 by Ballenas.
Close games continued to be the theme at KSS Monday when the Kondors hosted the Whalers in Gr.ade 9 girls action. In that game the Whalers survived, 16-14.
On Tuesday, the KSS senior boys, coached by Dave Frampton, faced Wellington out of Nanaimo. KSS trailed 24-19 at the half. The Kondors had a great third quarter and were up 44-36 heading into the final frame, then saw their lead evaporate before pulling the win out of the fire when Kevin Frampton went 2-for-2 at the foul line to give his team a 58-56 lead.
Wellington drew a foul with no time left on the clock and the Wildcat, said Gayton, “nailed the first one and watched the second one rim out ... wow, talk about exciting.”
Frampton knocked down 18 points in the third quarter including three from outside the arch and finished with a game-high 30 points.
Nick Wassbauer chipped in with two treys and 14 points.
The win lifts the Kondors to 2-2 with three regular season games remaining.
“That was a great week of basketball for those boys — they beat the top two teams in the league,” said Gayton (both teams are ranked Top 10 in AA on the Island), adding the Kondors’ improved play has to do with two key starters: Adam Simpson and Ben Robson.
GAME ON
Kwalikum’s Sr. Boys were in action in Nanaimo Thursday night against Barsby for their final league game.