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Host Duncan Christian eyes single-A girls’ title

The top 16 senior girls single-A teams in the province will be competing in Cowichan Valley beginning today as the B.C. Basketball Championship opens at Duncan Christian and Chemainus Secondary.

The top 16 senior girls single-A teams in the province will be competing in Cowichan Valley beginning today as the B.C. Basketball Championship opens at Duncan Christian and Chemainus Secondary.

The host Duncan Christian Chargers — who captured the Island championship over St. Andrew’s and are seeded No. 12 — will open at home against No. 5 Similkameen at 2:30 p.m. St. Andrew’s (No. 16) faces No. 1 Langley Christian in the last game of the night, at 8:30 at Duncan Christian.

Four quarter-finals go Thursday at 11 a.m. at Chemainus, at Duncan Christian at 1 p.m. and both venues at 3 p.m. Semifinals are set for Friday at 5 and 7 p.m. at Duncan Christian, with the championship game tipping off Saturday at 5 p.m., following the bronze-medal matchup at 3 p.m., both at Duncan Christian.

Duncan Christian’s first game follows opening ceremonies at 1 p.m. today in which school athletic director and tournament co-ordinator Tom Veenstra promises solid entertainment and play from the hosts.

“We’ve got some decent players and we may not be as strong as last year, but we will be competitive,” Veenstra said of the Chargers, who recently claimed their second-straight Island crown and placed eighth at provincials last year. “We’ve had great coaching from Michelle [Nederlof], who’s been terrific for over 20 years now.”

The team is led by Juliet King, who will be attending Trinity Western next season. King was named tournament MVP at Islands, where she collected 26 points and 20 rebounds in a 49-41 win over host Glenlyon Norfolk School and 18 points and 27 rebounds in the 51-31 championship win over St. Andrew’s. Teammate Danielle Groenendijk, who was a tournament all-star, added 21 points and 25 rebounds over those two games.

The Chargers boys’ team will also compete at single-A provincials as the No. 5 seed, but in Langley, along with No. 14 St. Andrew’s. The two open against Immaculata and St. Ann’s Academy, respectively.

mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com

Twitter.com/tc_vicsports