Led by a dynamic one-two punch, the Vernon (VSS) Panthers girls basketball team booked their spot in the annual Tsumura Basketball Invitational (TBI) quarterfinals.
The TBI, hosted in Langley, features 64 of the best teams across B.C., split into two 16-team brackets.
VSS was drawn against the Brittania Bruins from Vancouver in the opener in the Select 16 bracket. After a back-and-forth battle, the Panthers eked out a 67-58 victory.
Leading the way for the Panthers was the Grade 11 duo of Adie Janke and Chloe Collins, who combined for 43 of the team's 67 points.
Janke's 23 points came off of three triples and numerous clutch buckets in the late fourth quarter as the Panthers clawed their way back down 56-53 with four minutes to go.
Through six games so far this year, the Panthers are without a loss. They will look to continue that streak on Thursday, when they play the South Delta Sun Devils in the quarterfinals after the Sun Devils won, 84-58, over the Centennial Centaurs from Coquitlam.
Tip-off is set for 7:45 p.m., and you can watch the game live at
Two other Okanagan teams are playing in the tournament, the Okanagan Mission (OKM) Huskies and the Kelowna Secondary School Owls, competing in the Super 16 bracket.
The Huskies were humbled, 60-48, by 性视界传媒's Holy Cross Crusaders, while the Owls won a close one, 57-56, against St. Michaels University School from Victoria.
KSS plays the Brookswood Bobcats out of Langley next, at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday.
