The Cedars Christian Eagles gave it a good ride but were denied the chance to savour the taste of victory at the BC single-A boys basketball provincial championship in Langley.
Their scoring well ran dry down the stretch against the Nanaimo Christian Trail Blazers and the went down in defeat Thursday, losing 68-61.
The Eagles were leading 58-55 in the fourth quarter when the Blazers took off and scored nine straight points to seize the lead and they ended it on a 13-3 run.
Kaeden Paulsen and Neil Henderson each contributed 21 points for the Cedars’ cause and Michah Bobbitt finished with 11.
The Eagles (0-2) will face St. Ann Academy Crusaders of Kamloops Friday at 10:15 a.m. The winner will play for 13th place and the loser will drop to the bottom tier, playing for 15th.
The North Central zone single-A-champion Northside Northstars suffered a similar fate on Day 2 of the 16-team provincial tournament. Northside fell 56-37 to Meadowridge Gryphons of Maple Ridge. Grham Yoder shot a team-high 14 for the Northstars.
Northside is matched with Ucluelet Warriors Friday 8:30 a.m.
North Central teams remain winless after two days at the provincial boys championships, all being played in Langley.
In quad A, the Prince George Polars (0-2) lost 104-72 to the Yale Lions, despite a 28-point game from Harsh Cheema. Rvnoor Thandi shot 17 and Kabir Bhathal collected 13 points for the Polars. Targe Roberts delivered a 44-point punch for the Lions.
PGSS plays Semiahmoo Thunderbirds of Surrey Friday at 10:15 a.m. The best either team can finish is 13th.
At the triple-A tournament, the College Heights Cougars (0-2) lost 62-53 to Magee Lions of Vancouver. College Heights led 27-24 at the half and clung to a 39-38 lead after 30 minutes. Magee pulled away with a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter that put the Lions ahead 51-40.
College Heights will try for its first win Friday against Caledonia Kermodes of Terrace at 10:15 a.m.
At the double-A championship, the Credo Christian Kodiaks of Langley topped the Nechako Valley Vikings of Vanderhoof 69-39.
Zeke Ferguson led the Vikings with nine points.
Nechako Valley plays Fernie of Friday at 10:15 a.m. for the right to play for 13th place on Saturday.
