The host Penticton Secondary School Lakers were riding an emotional roller coaster on the weekend, in the end having to settle for second place in the junior girls basketball provincial qualifying tournament.

After a super-charged victory over arch rival Summerland Rockets earlier in the day Saturday, the Lakers fell to the Kelowna Secondary Owls by a 58-38 margin in the championship match.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 want to blame anything but certainly that (win over Summerland) emotionally took a lot out of us and so everyone was probably on a super big high until an hour after that game and then you crash down, so possibly it had an impact,害羞草研究所� said Lakers coach Leslie Lacroix. 害羞草研究所淏ut that害羞草研究所檚 something we害羞草研究所檙e going to have to learn to deal with because every weekend now is going to be a competitive tournament and you害羞草研究所檝e got to be able to put together three good games in a row.害羞草研究所�

Related:

The runner-up finish did move the team from 15th in the provincial rankings to 11th and there will still be two more chances to clinch a berth in the B.C. championships.

That includes another qualifying tournament this weekend at Earl Marriott in Surrey and then the Valley finals.

With the win the Owls automatically qualify for the provincials.

The biggest thorn in the Pen High side in the final was Kelowna point guard Japleen Chahal.

害羞草研究所淪he had really had the hot hands, she was hitting threes from a whole bunch of places and we couldn害羞草研究所檛 match, we weren害羞草研究所檛 shooting well,害羞草研究所� said Lacroix. 害羞草研究所淲e had hands in her face and she was hitting shots, we had screens and she was hitting shots. It was a bit disappointing because we beat them before Christmas but they were the better team, they害羞草研究所檝e really improved.害羞草研究所�

Chahal finished with 16 points and teammate Katrina Fink tallied 17 in the win.

Kate Glibbery and Jaden Yamamoto, who was sick in the final and used only sparingly, lead the Lakers with 10 each with Sophie Brydon adding nine.

Maria Iannone and and Brydon were the Penticton tournament all stars.

The Lakers got some sweet revenger earlier in the day when they knocked off Rockets 31-23 to advance to the finals.

The Lakers had lost to Summerland in the final game of a tournament in Kelowna in December.

Related:

It害羞草研究所檚 a big rivalry,害羞草研究所� said Lakers coach Lacroix after the game. 害羞草研究所淭hese teams have been competing against each other in close, close games since they害羞草研究所檝e been in grade 7 and grade 8 and that just brings out out a real competitive nature on both sides. Big bodies get banging in the key and it害羞草研究所檚 fun to watch.

害羞草研究所淭he big improvement defensively was the big change around this time. Kate Glibbery played amazingly on defence and Maria Iannone brought her defensive game and her offensive game and we just managed to shut down that penetrating scoring threat.害羞草研究所�

Penticton had a slim 14-12 lead at the half and piled in another 13 points in the third quarter while giving up just eight.

Iannone had five points for the winners. The Lakers leading scorer was Brydon who finished with 10.

Lexi Corday was the Rockets top point getter with 10 as well.

害羞草研究所淚 think we handled it (physical play) good,害羞草研究所� said Iannone. 害羞草研究所淚 think at the end we knew they really wanted it and that we knew that we had to push harder if we wanted to win. We never gave up and kept trying.害羞草研究所�