An amazing run by the Bulkley Valley Christian School (BVCS) senior boys basketball team fell just short recently at the B.C. Boys Provincial ‘A’ Championship in Langley.
Ranked sixth heading into the tournament, the BVCS Royals faced an uphill battle, needing to beat the number two and three seeds of the tournament just to reach the finals. But the Royals, fueled by a 19-1 record heading into the tournament, were up to the challenge.
And while most teams were familiar with the Royals based on their participation in the tournament in the past number of years, nobody was aware of their new approach centred around their dominant post Saymon Loki and a tenacious defensive system.
The Royals first game was against the number two Vancouver Island team, the Saint Andrew’s Sabres. The team started nervously, with only a single digit lead after the first quarter. But a dominant second quarter saw a 37-0 run and a chance for the Royals to relax and enjoy their game with a final score of 99-34. Player of the game was Loki with 31 points.
The second game featured a much more difficult opponent, the number-three ranked Kelowna Christian Knights. This game was a defensive battle from the very beginning, with Kelowna trying to stop Loki inside and the Royals focusing on the Knight’s dominant guard play. With the game tied in the fourth quarter, Nathan Steenhof hit two key three pointers and Jordan Monn some important foul shots to send the Royals to the semi-finals for the first time in school history. Player of the game was Nathan Steenhof who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.
The semi-final was a rematch of last year’s first round match-up against a much-improved number two Okanagan champion, the Similkameen Sparks. Once again, the Sparks tried to stop Loki inside while the Royals focused on limiting turnovers and countering the Sparks pressure half-court defense. Up by two at the half, the Royals made a defensive adjustment and limited the Sparks shooting in the second half, winning 79-63. Loki was once again dominant with 44 points and 22 rebounds but it was a total team commitment to the game plan that led to the victory.
The finals saw the Royals match up against the Heritage Christian Saints, who knocked off the top-seeded Credo Christian Kodiaks in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, the Royals came out flat, missing shots and were unable to counter the athleticism of the Saints, going down 12 at the half. But like they have all year, the Royals did not quit, and brought the game back to six points with eight minutes to go. But it wasn’t to be and the Royals lost 65-53.
Loki’s dominant performance turned many heads during the tournament, earning him the attention of the media and MVP honours for the tournament. Nathan Steenhof’s clutch performances in the quarters and semi-finals earned him a second team all star. But the team’s success was not about individual performance but rather a commitment to putting the team first.
“All these players were willing to put aside everything for the sake of the team. Their commitment to each other, to team play, and to playing for the larger good was truly remarkable,” said co-coach James Horner.
For some of the players, the run ends a number of years of playing together, and the end of the tournament brought an intense mixture of joy and sadness.
“It’s been an honour to coach these guys for the past number of years. And while we’ve had a lot of success, I’m more proud of how all our players competed with integrity and class. It was a great way to end an awesome year,” said co-coach Chris Steenhof.
