The Howe Sound Sounders basketball team hit the home floor for the first time this season, picking up a league win against Seycove on Dec. 11 and dropping an exhibition game to West Vancouver on Thursday (Dec. 13).
Avi Arellano helped lead the Sounders to victory against Seycove, picking up 31 points in Howe Sound’s 64-58 win over the Seyhawks.
Arellano added another 30 points and picked up five rebounds and six steals in the Sounders’ 86-56 exhibition loss to West Vancouver on Thursday. Norby Richter contributed with six points, six rebounds and six steals, with Tarn Brar also picking up six rebounds.
Sounders head coach Ron Roberts said he liked the competition level of his squad in the loss.
“We knew we were going to be in for a challenge,” he said, pointing out that the Highlanders are a AAA squad, while the Sounders are AA. “But I liked the way the guys played in the second half. I’m proud of their effort and we’re looking forward to our next league game.”
Howe Sound fell behind 26-15 after the first quarter and were having issues limiting turnovers to a defensively aggressive West Vancouver team. The first half closed with the Highlanders up 44-26. The Sounders played its strongest quarter in the third, with both teams scoring 16 points, but the Highlanders pulled away in the final quarter to pick up the 86-56 win.
Roberts said the team still needs to hone a few aspects to its game.
“We need to work on our man-to-man offence and really all parts of our defence,” he said. “We’re not really setting up properly on offence and need to spread the floor more. We have talent — we just need to use it properly.”
He praised the play of Arellano, Richter and guard Vince Parangue, who Roberts said played a solid game on defence.
“He’s definitely our go-to guy,” Roberts said of Arellano. “He can control the game out there and was a third-team league all-star last year. He should be at least that this year.”
Roberts added that the team recently got an influx of size on the team as football players Tyson Thompson and Josh Watts joined the squad earlier this month.
The Sounders also picked up a 70-63 exhibition win against Pemberton on Dec. 5. Arellano again led the way with 27 points for Howe Sound.
The Sounders will next take on defending AA champions Windsor Secondary in North Vancouver on Thursday (Dec. 20).
For more information on high school basketball, visit www.bcboysbasketball.com.
