The Merritt senior girls basketball team hosted the Westsyde Whundas last week in league play. The visitors jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, winning 66-27. Top scorer for the Panthers was Gabby Zabek with 10 points. Casidy Sheena had five points, and both Claire Burnham and Amber Lorette four apiece.

On the weekend, the MSS senior girls squad traveled to Princeton to take part in the annual Rebel Rouser tournament. The Merritt team won two of their three games to place second, defeating the Osoyoos Rattlers and the Ashcroft Rams and narrowly losing to the host Princeton Rebels.

Guard Montana Leverre was the leading point getter with 15 in Merritt’s 58-26 victory against Osoyoos. She was followed closely by junior call-up Mesha Naiker with 13. Four Panthers hit double digits in Merritt’s 57-50 win over Ashcroft. Leverre again led the way with 17 points, followed by Naiker with 12, and both Gabby Zabek and Courtney Christie with 10. Leverre and Naiker had 12 and 11 points respectively in the Panthers’ 59-48 loss to the host Rebels.

The Merritt Secondary junior boys basketball team also attended the Princeton tournament on the weekend, and came away with wins over senior squads from Princeton, Ashcroft and Kamloops Christian School to take first place overall.

The Panther boys defeated KCS 61-34. Sam McNiven and Evan Sahota each had 21 points, while Sebastian Drexel chipped in with 11. Drexel and Sahota had 21 apiece in Merritt’s 67-52 victory over the host Princeton Rebels. Finally, McNiven lit it up with 29 points in MSS’s 75-64 win over Ashcroft. Sahota (19) and Drexel (10) also reached double digits.