The ’Dogs bit the Marauders, again.
For three straight years, the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs have played the host Pitt Meadows Marauders in the final game of their annual Air Show tournament.
Head coach Rich Goulet’s Marauders won the first matchup, the Bulldogs beat them last year in a 91-65 blowout, then Saturday they played the rubber match – a 71-68 win by Churchill.
Pitt got to the big game after two tournament wins – the first a 63-39 win over South Okanagan, and the second a 80-51 victory over the Collingwood Cavaliers of West Vancouver.
Then they beat the Sir Charles Tupper Tigers, the third-ranked school in the triple A division, by a score of 74-52.
That set up the rematch with Churchill, the Vancouver team that won the provincial championship last year, and are the sixth-ranked team in B.C. this year.
“It was one of the most enjoyable Airshow finals ever,” said Goulet. “Overall, we had the best crowds of an Airshow.”
His team jumped out to an early lead, and the half-time score was 40-33 for the Marauders.
Goulet said his team was hurt by turnovers, missed freethrows and other mistakes.
Then point guard Mark Ashamalla hurt his ankle with about eight minutes left in the game, and that was a big loss.
The tournament’s Most Valuable Player was Graham Smith, after he averaged 32 points per game. Jordan Murley was named to the all-star team.