BASKETBALL
The Penticton Basketball Camp returns for a 36th consecutive year this summer.
The camp is open to players entering Grades 7 to 12 in September.
Over the years it has become one of the most successful camps in the province focusing basketball skills, while incorporating some fun into the sport.
The boys’ camp goes Aug. 8-11 and will be conducted by two coaches from UBCO Kelowna.
The girls’ camp goes Aug. 14-17 and will be conducted by Bruce Langford, returning for the 16th consecutive year, along with players from his Simon Fraser University women’s team.
Several spots are still available in both camps. Campers who are planning to register should do so before the end of June.
Information and registrations forms can be obtained online, or by contacting Fred Fedorak at 250-493-6387.
PCSL
The Penticton Tim Hortons Pinnacles know they need to pick up some points as they hit the road for two more games this weekend.
Penticton (1-3-0) visits the Vancouver Thunderbirds Saturday at Thunderbird Stadium and Port Moody SC Sunday at Moody’s Trasolini Turf. Both are 3 p.m. kickoffs.
The Pinnacles failed to score as they lost their first two road games of the season last weekend.
“We definitely need to come away with at least a split,” said head coach Ezra Cremers, noting the Pinnacles want to stay within close range of a playoff spot.
The Pinnacles got their only win of the season against the T-Birds, 2-0 at King’s Park. Vancouver. Port Moody is an expansion team that Penticton will play for the first time.
The Pinnacles took some hits up front with winger Isaac Koch lost for the season after hernia surgery and striker Ryan Glanville out with a hamstring injury.
Cremers said the Pinnacles are hoping to get fortified by the returns of midfielder Enzo Paul and defender Noah Eaton.
“We’ve got some guys like (midfielder-forward) Randy Hubber who are playing fantastic for us right now,” said Cremers. “We just need to start finishing around the net.”
The Pinnacles are back home for games on June 24 and June 25.
JUNIOR HOCKEY
After playing two thrilling overtime games against each other in the 2017 playoffs, the Penticton Vees and Brooks Bandits agreed to hook up for a pair of pre-season games.
The BCHL champion Vees will travel to Brooks to play the Alberta league and Western Canada Cup champion Bandits on the Labour Day weekend, with games on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2.
The Vees are going to Brooks for the first time since the 2012 Doyle Cup B.C.-Alberta championship series, which the Vees won 4-1 en route to winning the RBC Cup national title.
The teams did play two pre-season games in Penticton in 2015, with the Vees winning 6-5 in overtime and tying the other game 5-5.
This past season, Brooks beat the Vees 4-3 in a shootout at the WCC in Penticton and 2-1 in overtime at the RBC Cup in Cobourg. Both were round-robin games.
The Vees’ main training camp will be held the last week of August at the South Okanagan Events Centre.