Despite coming up short in AA division play last month, the Howe Sound Sounders senior boys basketball team ended the season on a high note.
Participating in the Sea to Sky Challenge tournament on Friday (March 1), the Sounders defeated Pemberton 74-51 to take home the top prize in the corridor.
The Sounders had a four-point lead after the first quarter and the lead built to 14 at the half.
"We had not played since the loss to Elphinstone [Feb. 20] so the rust was evident," said Sounders head coach Ron Roberts. "Not to take anything away from Pemberton, they are a gritty team that always seem to give us fits. We got our legs under us in the second and our best players played well."
After the Sounders continued to build the lead, Roberts substituted freely in the second half and allowed all the departing seniors an opportunity to hit the floor.
Howe Sound guard Avi Arellano led the way for the Sounders with 36 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Randeep Grewal added 18 points, with Tarn Brar grabbing a team-high 13 rebounds. Guard Norbert Richter had a strong game distributing the ball with a team-high eight assists.
The tournament wraps up a strong season for the senior boys in which they placed second in North Shore League regula- season play, third in the playoffs and second place at the Rock the Rim tournament in Kalamalka.
Individually, Arellano was named a first team all-star in the North Shore League, with Grewal a second-team all-star and Brar was ranked the top rebounder.
Friday's one-day tournament saw senior, junior and Grade 8 teams from Squamish, Pemberton and Whistler hit the floor with games occurring at both gyms at Howe Sound Secondary School (HSSS).
The Grade 8 Boys final saw the Pemberton Secondary School (PSS) Red Devils beat the Whistler Secondary School (WSS) Storm 38-35 and PSS also triumphed over WSS in the junior girls final. The Sounders defeated the Red Devils in the junior boys final, with PSS beating HSSS in the senior girls final.
For more information on Howe Sound athletics, visit www.howesoundsecondary.bc.ca.
