Tillsonburg Gemini Sandham, Wernham lock up Captains/Veterans hoops MVPs

Tillsonburg Gemini forward Kypton Lofthouse (right) dribbles the ball under defensive attention from Woodstock St. Mary’s forward Johnny Bertoia. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Technically, Lucas Sandham’s ‘vertical’ is around 40 inches.

And every bit of that was on display as the Tillsonburg Gemini forward not only earned TVRA South East Captains/Veterans Senior Boys’ Basketball MVP honours with a 30-point performance Thursday, March 27 at Woodstock Collegiate Insitute, but also elevated in the halftime slam dunk competition.

Admittedly, Sandham didn’t put down as many dunks as he would have preferred, but certainly earned the respect of the crowd with a varied array including two-handed 360 attempts, and even an homage to Vince Carter’s between-the-legs classic.

“I warmed up too much,” smiled Sandham. “Did all my stuff in warmup.”

Style points aside, Sandham also lit up the scoreboard, scoring at least four in each quarter including two three-point field goals and 14 overall in the fourth as Team Blue (Glendale, Woodstock College Avenue and Ingersoll DCI) made a late run at Team White (host Woodstock CI, Woodstock Huron Park and Lord Dorchester), before falling 102-94 in a high-octane offensively-dominated affair.

Gemini teammate Jacob Mogg added five points and Cohen Schott two. Woodstock CI’s Will Halward led Team White, also with 30 points.

Sandham, who plans on attending Connestoga College and trying out for the basketball team there next year, says it was fun to play with friends from other teams.

“It was a blast,” agreed Schott. “It was a fun game out there.”

Gavin Wernham made it a Gemini sweep of MVP honours in the junior game, knocking down nine points including one trey as his version of the White squad (Glendale, Huron Park, College Avenue and Dorchester) dropped a 55-46 decision to Junior Blue (Woodstock St. Mary’s, Ingersoll DCI, WCI and Dorchester).

“Shots weren’t there, but the defence was working,” Wernham summed up of an enjoyable and well-supported Captains/Veterans experience featuring players, officials and fans from around the league.

“Made it better by this whole (basketball) community.”

Gemini teammate Jordan McCormick added a three-point field goal to the White team totals, Kayden Pittao two and eight points overall, with Kypton Lofthouse pacing the Tillsonburg effort with an even ten points. Overall, the Gemini had had a great season, said Lofthouse, following in the footsteps of his father Chad.

“Didn’t end the way we wanted, but this was a fun way to wrap up the season. A good opportunity to play basketball with a great bunch of players.”