Top four in senior hoops off to D10 semifinals
GUELPH – The four teams that finished in the top four positions at the completion of the District 10 high school senior boys’ basketball league’s regular season all opened their playoffs with wins at home in Tuesday’s quarter-finals.
The first-place Bishop Macdonell Celtics dropped the eighth-place Centre Wellington Falcons 75-36, the second-place Ross Royals downed the seventh-place St. James Lions 82-53, the third-place Lourdes Crusaders ousted the sixth-place Orangeville Bears 68-36 and the fourth-place Centennial Spartans defeated the fifth-place Guelph CVI Green Gaels 61-49.
The winners advance to Thursday’s semifinals. Ross is to host Lourdes at 4 p.m. and Centennial is to play at Bishop Mac at 5:30 p.m.
Semifinal victors are to meet in the league final Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre.
Bishop Macdonell 75 Centre Wellington 36
The Celtics turned in a 30-point second quarter to leave the Falcons behind. Bishop Mac led 17-10 at the end of the first quarter, 47-17 at halftime and 60-28 after the third quarter.
Ben Dorling led Bishop Mac with 24 points while Kaeden Vilbar had 13 and Joey Guanzon added 10.
Gabe LeClair and Tyler Holland had 12 piece for Centre Wellington.
Ross 82 St. James 53
Drew Dunlop hit for 16 points for Ross while Jonathan Wang added 14 and Trey Holmes chipped in with 10.
Daidan Carter had a game-high 20 for Ross while Wolfgang Zappa collected eight.
Lourdes 68 Orangeville 36
Dom Favaro struck for 35 points for Lourdes while Joe Basciano had 10 and Simon Porcellato netted eight.
Jisiah Guthrie connected for 18 for Orangeville while Jacob Lewis contributed 10.
Centennial 61 Guelph CVI 49
The Spartans broke open a close game in the third quarter as they responded to falling behind by a single point midway through the third quarter with three consecutive three-point buckets. Centennial led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter, 31-28 at halftime and 52-43 at the end of the third quarter.
Tristan Vandenheuval collected 17 points for Centennial while R. Bhaskar added 14 and Cam Viveiros had 13.
Shaun Singh led GCVI with 18 while Marius Caione had 10 and Dedan Mwangi netted nine.
Junior Boys’ Basketball
A mild upset in the junior loop’s quarter-finals as fifth-place Bishop Mac defeated fourth-place Orangeville 67-61 in Tuesday’s quarter-finals.
In the other games, first-place St. James beat eighth-place Guelph CVI 83-67, second-place Centre Wellington downed seventh-place Centennial 59-40 and third-place Ross handed sixth-place Lourdes a 61-50 setback.
Thursday’s semifinals are scheduled to have Bishop Mac play at St. James at 3:45 p.m. and Ross play at Centre Wellington at 4 p.m.
Semifinal winners are to clash in the D10 junior final Saturday at 12 noon at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre.
St. James 83 Guelph CVI 67
Quinton Groves had 15 points for St. James while Hayden Khan netted 11 and Josiah CaDougan added 10.
Liam R. collected 14 for GCVI while Luke O’Neill had 13 and Ronin B. had 12.
Centre Wellington 59 Centennial 40
M.J. Toppin topped Centre Wellington’s scoring list with 13 points.
Annan Bardown led Centennial with 10.
Ross 61 Lourdes 50
Nash Dunlop hit for a game-high 28 points for Ross while Muhammad Shahir gathered 12.
Lat Hiyabu had 19 for Ross while Jackson McGarr added 16.
Bishop Macdonell 67 Orangeville 61
Jayden Thompson connected for 30 points for Bishop Mac.
Jaylen Padayachee had 17 for Orangeville.
- Guelph Sports Journal