KSS fall to St. FX in final of Western Canada Basketball Tournament

Owls come up short

Photo: Wayne Moore/file

KSS come up short in the final of their own tournament

The KSS Owls ran into a familiar foe in Saturday’s final of the 51st SWestern Canada Basketball Tournament presented by Armada Steel.

You could understand if they don’t see them again this basketball season.

The Owls and St. Francis Xavier Rams out of Edmonton met in Saturday’s final with the result eerily similar to their clash in the final of the REB Invitational in Edmonton in December.

In that game, the Rams won by 21. The margin Saturday, 19 as the Rams led wire-to-wire in a 98-79 victory.

The Rams led by 12 after one quarter, holding the Owls to a tournament-low 13 points in the opening quarter. They stretched the lead incrementally each quarter, thwarting any attempt at a comeback.

Justice Arciaga led the Rams with a game-high 30, with 22 of those coming in the first and third quarters.

Elijah Thomas and Clyde Mbachu each had 16.

Humraj Chahal had 21 to lead the Owls, 14 of those coming in the final quarter.

Wells Grundy was held to 19 points and just a pair of three pointers after hitting seven from beyond the arc during Friday’s semi-final win over Medicine Hat.

The Owls return to league play later this week as they prepare for the Okanagan Zone championship and a spot in the provincial championship March 4 to 7 in Langley.