August 8, 2007

Stowell tops in Purdy classic

This year’s staging of the Trevor Purdy 3-on-3 basketball tournament on July 28-29 went off well although a one-week postponement had a limiting effect on attendance and registration.

Seven teams vied for the championship and after five round robin games had been completed returning champ Kirk Stowell’s team was undefeated. Stowell, who had played scholastic ball at Spectrum, and Camosun College), earned the first seed along with teammates J.P., Taishi Eseka (Pacific Christian, Camosun) and Eliot Rushton (Oak Bay, Cal-State Fullerton). Local players Frasier Petersen, Ben Cato, Trevor Bligh and Denis Price finished second in round robin play with one loss.

Four teams made it to the playoff round with first versus fourth and second versus third. The front-running Kirk Stowell team was hot in its semi-final, defeating the fourth place Sooke team of Leigh Powers, Dustin Waldron, Jordan Cooper, and local high school legend Mike “Air” Hannam. Bligh, Cato, Petersen, and Price lost to the third seeded squad – Jermaine, Brad Wallen, and a Tennesee import named Victor.

The finals saw Stowell, Eseka, J.P. and Rushton win in convincing fashion.

Jordan Cooper earned most valuable player honours by scoring 26 points per game. Frasier Petersen won the three-point competition. A high school team of Cody Yates, Brent Nelson, Jamie Negraffe and Jason Smith won the sportsmanship award donated by Dr. Chris Bryant.

The annual tournament is named as a tribute to a local athletic standout who lost his life in a motor vehicle accident.

Funds raised through the tournament are channeled into the Trevor Purdy Memorial Scholarship.

Many thanks to organizers Laura Purdy, Ebony Logins, and Erica Grainger. Special thanks to the many local sponsors who make the weekend event possible.