By Howard Tsumura
Varsity Letters
LANGLEY —Interesting how much intrigue the wildcard factor is ramping up the chatter around the province as we get to that stage of the season where it’s win-or-go-home in the chase for B.C. boys tournament berths.
Through our weekly B.C. Basketball Metrics peeks, the plot lines have clearly been sketched, but like any great mystery novel, you just know there are going to be a few big surprises at the very least as the process winds itself down to that March 4 opening tip for the provincials at the Langley Events Centre.
The South Fraser boys 4A quarters go tomorrow at Lord Tweedsmuir in Surrey, and this week the BCBM numbers have five teams from that zone within its top 16.
The key thing to remember here: There is a limit of four teams per zone, through all tiers, that are permitted to advance to BC’s.
South Fraser already has the maximum four allotted guaranteed berths at Quad-A, but because of the aforementioned stipulation, it is not eligible for the sole zone-strength berth, while all of the other zones are.
If you go strictly by the numbers (as usual they are all posted below), and you see that there that those five schools are, in order of listed strength Tamanawis, Semiahmoo, Holy Cross, Panorama Ridge and Grandview Heights, then who’s out and who’s in?
As well, the three other teams who have survived to play in the quarterfinals — Fleetwood Park, Earl Marriott and Lord Tweedsmuir — are not exactly the definition of slouches. It’s a truly loaded field filled with tradition and veteran skippers pulling the strings.
As well, the Okanagan zone gets one berth with the potential of a wildcard spot. It has three teams — Kelowna, Rutland and Mt. Boucherie whose numbers rate as Top 16 provincially.
And there are no Eastern Valley or North Central teams in the latest Top 16, although Yale and G.W. Graham have the horses to make a run.
Here’s the numbers from all four tiers, both in Top 16 form, and by overall zone breakdown.
We’ll be back Wednesday in this space with the B.C. senior boys basketball Top 10 rankings.
QUAD A
TOP 16
BEST BY ZONE
TRIPLE A
TOP 16
BEST BY ZONE
DOUBLE A
TOP 16
BEST BY ZONE
SINGLE A
TOP 16
BEST BY ZONE
(Image provided for Varsity Letters by B.C. Basketball Metrics 2026. All Rights Reserved)
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