The Rutland Voodoos senior boys basketball team took care of business at their first major tournament of the 2016-17 hardwood season.
The Voodoos went 3-0 to secure the gold medal at the annual Chilliwack Storm Classic.
In Saturday’s final of the 12-team tourney, Rutland defeated G.P. Vanier 73-60. Parm Sandher led the way with 18 points and Eric Wambacher added 17, as the Voodoos led from wire to wire.
Rutland opened with a 98-37 win over Mission. Wambacher scored 31 points, including 15 in the opening quarter and nine threes overall. Noah Ringness-Law added 15 points in the win.
In their closest game of the weekend, the Voodoos held off Valleyview from Kamloops 73-66. Head coach Rob Middaugh called Ringness-Law “the catalyst on defense, forcing (Valleyview’s) point guard into foul trouble and shutting him down.”
Marcus Strother had 17 points, while Branden Kennedy added 11.
Parm Sandher, who averaged 11.3 points for the weekend, was named the MVP. Eric Wambacher made the first all-star team, while Strother was named to the second team.
With the corps of past Rutland teams returning this season, Middaugh likes the make-up of this year’s squad.
“We have seven players back from the last couple of years, the corps of our team played at the Grade 9 and 10 provincials, so they come in with some experience,” said Middaugh. “The guys believe in themselves. We hope to be there at the end, challenging for a spot at provincials.”
Grade 8 boys…
The Rutland Voodoos and Spring Valley Stingers will host the first annual SRMS Winter Classic this weekend, a 16-team basketball tournament for Grade 8 boys. Games tip off today at noon at both schools.
Meanwhile, the Voodoos are 3-0 to start the season after a 68-30 win Monday over Aberdeen Hall in league play.
Angelo Geronimo scored 14 points for Rutland, while Nitin Ahir added 13 in the wi