Despite a heartbreaking opening loss, the Howe Sound Sounders boys basketball team bounced back and picked up a fifth-place finish at the Elphinstone Tournament in Gibsons on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 11 and 12).
Howe Sound opened tournament play against the Steveston-London Secondary Packers on Friday. The game was a back-and-forth affair but the Sounders broke away in the third quarter, opening a 13-point lead. However, the Packers turned it on in the fourth quarter and came away with a 57-55 win.
"Some good shooting by them down the stretch and a few key turnovers by us and the result was a heartbreaking two-point loss," Sounders head coach Ron Roberts wrote in an email. "And the winning bucket came on a three-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining."
Roberts noted that the Packers are a AAA team and overall was pleased with his team's efforts. Randeep Grewal was named the player of the game, with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Avi Arellano was the Sounders' top scorer with 25 points.
Howe Sound returned to the floor on Saturday morning to take on the Pemberton Secondary Red Devils. The Sounders built a 12-point lead at halftime and cruised to a 64-45 win. Tarn Brar was the Sounders' player of the game and had a solid all-around game, picking up five points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Arellano again was the top scorer with 15 points.
The Sounders then battled the Rockridge Secondary Ravens in the fifth-place game on Saturday and it was a dominant performance by Howe Sound. They took a 21-point lead in the first half and won 81-41. Arellano was named player of the game and was one steal away from a triple double, with 25 points, 10 assists and nine steals. Grewal added 24 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
Roberts also praised the play of guard Norbert Richter.
"He isn't well represented on the stat sheet," Roberts said. "But his court sense and the intangibles he brings to the table make him a valuable addition to the starting lineup."
It turned out to be a great weekend for Arellano, who led the Sounders in scoring all three games, won the three-point contest on Saturday and was named a tournament first-team all-star.
"In the mind of the opposing coaches and officials that I talked to, he was considered one of the top players in the tourney," Roberts said.
Howe Sound returned to regular-season action on Tuesday (Jan. 15) but results were not available at press time. The next home game for the Senior Boys takes place on Thursday (Jan. 17) at 5 p.m. The Junior Boys are also in action on Thursday, with a tip-off scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
For more information on the teams, visit www.howesoundsecondary.bc.ca.
