Semiahmoo Grade 8 girls win basketball provincials in undefeated season

It was a busy weekend for basketball in Surrey and South Surrey.

The Grade 8 basketball provincial championships, held at Fleetwood Park and Sullivan Heights secondary schools Thursday through Saturday, saw the Semiahmoo Grad 8 girls Thunderbirds finish their season undefeated, 27-0.

They won their final match against MEI (Mennonite Educational Institute), 51-47, to win the Grade 8 provincial championship on Saturday.

“It was an amazing game!” Thunderbirds head coach Kylie Cross said.

“It was a real back-and-forth game… it was really exciting. The girls pulled it off!”

Cross noted the gym was nice and noisy and packed with fans – many of them other high school basketball players, who came to show their support.

“It was pretty neat,” she said.

For Grade 8 boys, the St. Patrick Secondary team beat Surrey’s Holy Cross squad 54-48 for the provincial title.

Meanwhile, Earl Marriott Secondary, Elgin Park Secondary and Semiahmoo Secondary hosted approximately 400 basketball players for the Grade 9 provincial tournament, which also featured a 3-on-3 contest.

In one of the most exciting finals – “maybe the best ever,” according to the tournament website, the Theo Gonzales-coached Vancouver College Fighting Irish held off the Drew Gallacher-coached Grandview Heights Grizzlies 71-67 in double overtime.

“It was standing room only… it went to double OT – it was wild!!” said EMS athletic director Russ Heggie.

The win marks back-to-back Grade 9 provincial titles for Vancouver College.

Overall, the tournament “was a great experience for everyone,” Heggie said.

For all Grade 8 basketball provincal results and information, visit coachgouletgr8championships.com and for Grade 9 results and details, visit bcgr9boysbasketball.com

@Canucklehedd
tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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