Knights fall to Vernon Panthers in opening match

The Panthers have clawed their way into provincials for the 14th year in a row and this year, they mean business.

Their opening matchup against the St. Thomas More Knights seemed to be a tough battle early on, with both teams staying relatively close on the scoreboard.

Vernon proved themselves to be worthy opponents against STM, who were unable to connect with the hoop on multiple possessions in the first quarter.

This epic match on the court did not disappoint fans though, as both teams held their own for the majority of the game. A prime example being the Panthers leading 23-11 midway through the second quarter, and the Knights answering with 12 points in roughly 3 minutes of play to follow.

The Panthers led 32-26 at the half.

It was in the fourth and final quarter that the Knights were within 10 of the Panthers. But the relentless team from the Okanagan kept the lead with at least 10 points between their opponents for the duration of the game.

The Vernon Panthers slayed the St. Thomas More Knights, defeating them 65-50.

Panthers senior Mackenzie Horst (#13) was awarded player of the game, boasting 15 points.

Head coach Lonny Mazurak had this to say following the game:

“The girls did a great job of executing on defense and on offense. We’re happy were their efforts today, for sure. [Tomorrow] we’ve got Britannia who are very, very good, so we’ll have to do a little bit of homework on them to get ready for that game. But we’ll go and give it our best, see how it goes.”

Watch all of the highlights on our Instagram: @bcsportshub.

Written by: Crystal Scuor