Junior Boys Basketball: North-South Champions

The Brentwood Junior A Boys Basketball team returned to the hardwood this weekend after a busy week of league games. The team was hosting their annual North-South Challenge, inviting teams from all over the Island to come play.  In their first game of the tournament, Brentwood faced Lambrick Park. Facing an unfamiliar opponent, the team did not hesitate to jump out to an early lead. However, their defense began to falter towards the end of the half. So Coach Sullivan challenged the team to limit Lambrick to under 10 points in the second half. The team fought hard and were able to rise to the occasion. The final score was 67-25. Johnny M stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 steals, and 5 blocks. Brendan S chipped in 16 points and Bruno C had 12.  In the semi-finals, the team was matched up against NDSS, a team Brentwood faced multiple times last season. Brentwood came out and played tough defense, turning NDSS over a plethora of times leading to easy points on the fastbreak. This trend carried on throughout the game as Brentwood cruised to a 69-20 victory. Johnny M again led the team in points with 19. Brendan S had 14 points in the win, and Olamide O had another double-double, racking up 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.  In the finals, Brentwood was set to face Mt. Doug. The Woodward Sportsplex was filled with fans and the gym was electric, with the noise increasing with every dunk and 3-pointer. The energy helped Brentwood open the game on a 7-0 run, highlighted by Johnny M’s dunk on the fastbreak, the first in-game dunk of the season. Brentwood used its stellar defense, crisp offense, and the crowd’s energy to win the game 67-20, crowning them tournament champs. Johnny M led the team again with 15 points. Bruno C, Brendan S, and Casper P also reached double digits, scoring 14, 11, and 10, respectively. Bruno C and Brendan S were named Tournament All-Stars while Johnny M was named Tournament MVP. The team looks to continue its success, particularly on the defensive end, against provincially ranked Yale and Kelowna Secondary this weekend in Abbotsford. The team would like to thank everyone who came out to support them, as well as Mr. Minkler and his media production team for livestreaming the tournament.  Olamide O, Pride of Privett ‘18