The Riverside Rapids’ hope for a second consecutive BC School Sports AAAA senior girls basketball provincial championship was sunk by one bad quarter.
The defending champions were outscored by the Seaquam Seahawks 31-15 in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s final at the Langley Events Centre and lost the game 79-73.
Seaquam's win was its second time this season the Seahawks prevailed over Riverside in a major final at the LEC. The Delta school also defeated the Rapids to win the Tsumura Invitational tournament in December.
Riverside beat the Seaquam the only other time they played this season.
Saturday, the Rapids went into the final frame up by 10 points after the sides were tied 34-34 at the half.
But Riverside's shooters turned cold while Seaquam’s Syra Toor caught fire, scoring all 10 of her points — including two three-pointers — in the final frame to lead the Seahawks comeback. She also hit four of her seven free throws.
Avery Sussex scored 35 points for the Rapids while Jorja Hart chipped in 16.
Sussex was awarded the tournament's most valuable player and she was named to its first all-star team, along with teammates Hart and Annabelle Neufeld.
Riverside has played in the provincial final the past three years. It beat Walnut Grove 70-52 last year but lost 77-75 to the Terry Fox Ravens in 2022.
