The basketball teams across the Senior School have been showing up on the court with incredible grit, sportsmanship and a will to win. The hard work of the players is paying off. Read on to learn more about how they got there, the monumental moments in basketball so far, a special shout out from a true fan, and a gallery of photos.
Grade 7 Boys Basketball
The Grade 7 Boys team showed great tenacity during their Split Second Snowball Richmond Oval tournament January 31 to February 1. They won three out of the four games to take home the gold. Congratulations boys! They’ll be heading into their ISEA Championships on Tuesday, February 24 at Stratford Hall, in 2nd place in the league standings.
Grade 7 Girls Basketball
The Grade 7 Girls team has had an energetic season this year. There have been some wins and some losses, but the girls have really enjoyed hyping each other up and cheering their teammates on. They’ve been working particularly hard on creating space for offence, practicing their three-point shots, as well as strengthening defence. The team will be showing off their team spirit when SJS hosts their ISEA Championships on Tuesday, February 24.
Grade 8 Boys Basketball
The Bantam Boys team played at the Notre Dame tournament on January 30 and 31, where they won two out of the three games. They nearly took down Vancouver College, a AAAA team, only coming short by six points after a thrilling push in the fourth quarter.
SJS then hosted the annual Colin Jack Memorial Tournament on February 6 to 7. The tournament is held in honour of Colin Jack, who was the IT and Business teacher and Grade 8 basketball coach at SJS for many years. As an invitational tournament SJS often sees repeat attendees from around the Lower Mainland, including Lord Byng Secondary where Colin’s brother teaches.
We sadly lost Colin in 2011. We are honoured to celebrate his legacy each year with the tournament. The boys were in high spirits going into the tournament. They fought hard and won the tournament, defeating Lord Byng Secondary 47–29 in the final. Members of Colin’s family presented them with their victory in what continues to be a very special tournament for SJS.
Junior Girls Basketball
The Junior Girls Basketball team left their hearts on the court at the Junior Girls ISAA Tier 1 Tournament, which took place at York House School on January 30 and 31. While they lost out by only one point, Ms. Frost congratulated the team for giving it everything they had.
The team finished in 3rd place in the GVISAA league standings. On Wednesday, February 11 we hosted their first round of playoff games. In a single–knock-out elimination process, the stakes were high and the girls fought hard against Deer Lake School, winning the game 20–16. They move on to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, February 17 at Richmond Christian. You go girls!
Junior Boys Basketball
The Junior Boys team played in two tournaments in January. First they competed in the ISAA Tournament in Meadowridge where they finished 4th. Then they fought hard in the Frank Hurt Tournament, winning their final game on a buzzer breather. Overall, the team finished 3rd in the West division of the GVISAA league, which qualified them for the league playoffs.
The team had their first playoff game on February 10 against Richmond Christian. Unfortunately, the ball didn’t bounce their way and the team lost 46-43, ending their season. Alumni Coach George Tse was proud of their efforts this season and hope many of them continue on to play on the senior team next year.
Senior Girls Basketball
The Senior Girls put in a good showing at the John Knox Tournament. They won two out of three games, to finish fourth in the tournament. Following that they had their final home game against Urban Academy on February 2. The girls won 56–50. A big congratulations to 4th year player Kareena Sandhu, Grade 12, who got to play in front of her family for the last time on the Gunn Gym court.
On Tuesday, February 3, the team took on Vancouver Christian with a spot in the Zone Championships on the line. The Eagles came out victorious 58–38, to advance to the VS2S Zones on February 5 in Pemberton.
At Pemberton, the GIrls team fought all their way to the gold medal match. Under Coach Ilkiw’s leadership the girls came out victorious 61–54 over cross-town rival King David High School, winning the Vancouver Sea to Sky Zone Championship for the first time in school history! This also qualifies the team for the BCSS Senior Girls Provincial Championships February 25 to 28 at the Langley Events Centre. Good luck girls!!
Senior Boys Basketball
Following their success at the JAM tournament on January 22 to 24, winning gold 88–81 against Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née, the Senior Boys team went on to the Brentwood College tournament.
The team fought hard across the tournament, knocking out GP Vanier Secondary 91–63 and winning a thrilling overtime against #4 ranked AA Pacific Christian School 105–103. They lost to AAA Lambrick Park and Ed Milne, finishing fourth in the tournament.
The team’s effort has secured their place as the number one ranked team in BC at the single A level. Now begins the journey to Provincials, with the Zone Championships on February 20 to 21. Good luck boys!
A Final Shoutout
We also want to give a special shout out to Mme. Suzanne Duval, who although unable to attend the season this year, has remained an enthusiastic supporter of the Eagles, “Congratulations on a great season with a wonderful team. I have followed you all and admired your spirit. Keep on keeping on. Merci beaucoup.”
