Shadynn Smid scored 52 points last Saturday to help send the Cowichan Secondary Thunderbirds to the Island 4A boys basketball championships.
Smid led the way as the T-Birds beat the Dover Bay Dolphins 86-83 in the Cowichan Secondary gym to clinch third place in the North Island tournament.
Because of their top-three finish, the T-Birds advanced directly to the Island tournament at Mount Douglas starting this Thursday. Dover Bay had to face Spectrum in a play-in game on Monday, which they won.
The T-Birds opened the North Island tournament with a 64-47 loss to Nanaimo District Secondary.
Cowichan will open the Island championships against Claremont this Thursday at 4 p.m.
Two other Cowichan Valley schools earned berths in the Island 2A boys championships.
Brentwood College School won the North Island title, while host Shawnigan Lake School placed third at the tournament, with five berths at the Island championships on the line.
Dylan Gage scored 20 points as Brentwood defeated Gulf Islands 88-32 in the final on Saturday night after beating Shawnigan 75-38 in the semifinals.
Shawnigan opened the tournament with a 75-68 win over Highland, then lost to Brentwood in the second round. Still alive, Shawnigan defeated Brooks 56-32, then beat Highland again, 83-47, for third place.
Brentwood will host the Island 2A tournament this Thursday to Saturday. The host team opens against Kwalikum at 2 p.m. on Thursday, and Shawnigan will tip off against Pacific Christian at 3:45 p.m.
Duncan Christian School had previously qualified for the Island 1A boys tournament, which will be hosted by Glenlyon Norfolk School this Thursday to Saturday.