In recent years, White Rock Christian Academy hasn’t sent a team to the B.C. Christian Schools junior boys basketball championships, thinking instead that the team would be better-served playing teams from larger schools.
But last week, the WRCA Warriors made their return to the event, held at Abbotsford Christian, and walked out with the championship trophy.
“We typically don’t go in the tournament because sometimes the level of competition just isn’t that high, but this year it was much better – no different than what we’d see in our league schedule,” said Warriors assistant coach Dale Shury of the 12-team tournament.
“It was a good effort from all our guys.”
The Warriors – among the top junior boys teams in B.C. – captured the championship banner Saturday, with a 70-44 victory over the Pacific Academy Breakers.
Vartan Tanelian led WRCA with 18 points in the championship game, and Peter Spangehl added 15.
“We were able to get all 12 guys out there (on the court) and all 12 were able to contribute, which was great,” said Shury.
In the semifinals, White Rock – who had a bye through the first round – knocked off Langley Christian 57-21, and in their first game of the tournament beat Pacific Christian 66-35.
And while the team’s potent offence had little trouble scoring throughout the tournament – in semifinals, 10 of the team’s 12 players managed at least one bucket – Shury suggested it was the team’s attention to detail on defence that led them to victory.
“Absolutely, we were playing as a really solid group out there,” he said, adding that, in one game, WRCA held their opponent scoreless for an entire quarter.
This weekend, WRCA, currently fifth in B.C. junior boys rankings, is back on the court at the Pitt Meadows Air Show.
The tournament begins today, with the Warriors set to take on Sentinal at 2 p.m.