When Oak Bay's Griffin Arnatt (left) and A.R. MacNeill's Everett Swaim clashed back in December at the Tsumura Basketball Invitational, the provincials were a long ways off. This week, with the Vancouver Island championships set to tip off, the Bays move back into the spotlight as a Quad-A honourable mention. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2020. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

02.19.20 edition Varsity Letters B.C. boys high school basketball rankings: Bays, Flyin’ Lions, Fighting Saints and Deer Lake all rise up!

NORTH DELTA — We’ve hit the start of zone championship tournaments.

They’ve got new names… like South Fraser, Fraser North, East Valley and Sea-to-Sky, yet the stakes are still high for the 16 teams at each tier attempting to punch tickets to the B.C. tournament March 4-7 at the Langley Events Centre.

There was plenty of 4A movement at the bottom end of the Top 10 and through the honourable mention ranks.

And while they don’t have a superstar like Fraser Jefferson (circa 1986-87) on the squad, Magee’s Flyin’ Lions hit the charts as the new No. 10 in the Triple A rankings.

At Double A, North Vancouver’s St. Thomas Aquinas Fighting Saints move up to claim a share of No. 10, while at Single A, Burnaby’s Deer Lake Academy Falcons find themselves worthy of honourable mention status for the first time this season.

Here’s our second-to-final set of rankings for the 2019-20 season:

BOYS

QUAD A (records, rankings reflect games played Feb. 12-18. Records indicate games against B.C. competition only)

1 Burnaby South Rebels (28-2) (LW-1)

Last week — Defeated New Westminster 104-57 in Bur-West legue final.

This week — Open Feb. 20 vs. Dr. Charles Best/Pinetree winner at Fraser North zone championships (at Centennial).

2 Centennial Centaurs (Coquitlam) (29-2) (2)

Last week — Def. Dr. Charles Best 99-54.

This week — Open Feb. 20 vs. Port Moody/Maple Ridge winner as host of Fraser North zone championships.

3 Kelowna Owls (16-5) (3)

Last week — Did not play.

This week — Feb. 20 open play as host to Okanagan championships.

4 Claremont Spartans (Victoria) (21-3) (4)

Last week —Def. Oak Bay 85-81 to finish first at South Island championships.

This week —Open play Feb. 20 at Vancouver Island championships hosted by Nanaimo District Secondary.

5 Handsworth Royals (North Vancouver) (15-2) (5)

Last week —Def. West Vancouver 73-59.

This week — Open play Feb. 20 at host of Sea-to-Sky zone championships.

6 Holy Cross Crusaders (Surrey) (20-6) (7)

Last week — Won both games to finish first at South Fraser Central League championships. Def. Queen Elizabeth 93-52, def. Fleetwood Park 75-56.

This week — Open play Feb. 21 at South Fraser championship final (at Tamanawis).

7 Abbotsford Panthers (24-4) (9)

Last week — Did not play.

This week — Open play at Eastern Valley zone championship semifinals Feb. 20 at Langley Events Centre.

8 Vancouver College Fighting Irish (16-11) (10)

Last week — Def. St. George’s 78-66.

This week — Open Feb. 20 at Sea-to-Sky zone championships (at Handsworth).

9 St. George’s Saints (Vancouver) (14-9) (6)

Last week — Lost 78-66 to Vancouver College.

This week — Feb. 18 vs. Kitsilano in Sea-to-Sky wildcard game.

10 Terry Fox Ravens (Port Coquitlam) (12-10) (HM)

Last week — Def. Heritage Woods 102-88.

This week — Open play Feb. 20 vs. Burnaby Mountain in opening round of Fraser North championships.

HONOURABLE MENTION

Tamanawis Wildcats (Surrey) (16-5) (HM)

Last week —Won both games to finish first at South Fraser’s Southwest League championships. Def. Frank Hurt 72-59, def. Sullivan Heights 74-67 (OT).

This week — Open play Feb. 21 as host of South Fraser championship final.

Yale Lions (Abbotsford) (19-4) (HM)
Last week — Did not play.

This week — Open play Feb. 20 at Eastern Valley zone semifinals at Langley Events Centre.

Heritage Woods Kodiaks (Port Moody) (16-11) (8)

Last week — Lost 102-88 to Terry Fox.

This week —Open Feb 20 at Fraser North championships vs. New Westminster (at Centennial).

Fleetwood Park Dragons (Surrey) (22-10) (NR)

Last week —Split two games at South Fraser Central league championships. Def. Lord Tweedsmuir 67-52, lost 75-56 to Holy Cross.

This week —Open play Feb. 21 at South Fraser championship final (at Tamanawis).

Oak Bay Bays (Victoria) (10-12) (NR)

Last week — Lost 85-81 to Claremont in South Island championship final.

This week — Open Feb. 20 vs. Dover Bay in opening round of Vancouver Island championships at Nanaimo District.

(Howard Tsumura, VarsityLetters.ca)

TRIPLE A

(rankings based on games played through Feb. 18)

1 Duchess Park Condors (Prince George) (19-3) (LW-1) 

2 Vernon Panthers (21-4) (2)

3 St. Patricks Celtics (Vancouver) (24-4) (3)

4 Pitt Meadows Marauders (22-7) (4) 

5 G.W. Graham Grizzlies (Chilliwack) (21-9) (5) 

6 Sir Charles Tupper Tigers (Vancouver) (26-11) (6)

7 R.A. McMath Wildcats (Richmond) (23-9) (8) 

8 Steveston London Sharks (Richmond) (20-7) (9)

9 Ladysmith 49ers (25-3) (7)

10 Magee Lions (Vancouver) (22-7) (HM)

Honourable mention — Byrne Creek Bulldogs (Burnaby) (16-13) (10), North Delta Huskies (12-6) (HM), Guildford Park Sabres (Surrey) (18-6) (HM), Lord Byng Grey Ghosts (Vancouver) (19-8) (HM), John Barsby Bulldogs (Nanaimo) (15-8) (NR)

(BCHSBBA)

DOUBLE A

1 Charles Hays Rainmakers (Prince Rupert) (LW-1) 

2 King George Dragons (Vancouver) (2)

3 Lambrick Park Lions (Victoria) (3) 

4 Southridge Storm (Surrey) (4) 

5 Abbotsford Christian Knights (5) 

6 D.P. Todd Trojans (Prince George) (6)

7 Hugh Boyd Trojans (Richmond) (7)

8 Brentwood College (Mill Bay) (8)

9 Princess Margaret Mustangs (Penticton) (10-tie)

10-tie St. Thomas Aquinas Fighting Saints (North Vancouver) (HM)

10 tie-Abbotsford Traditional Titans (HM)

Honourable mention (alphabetical)— Collingwood Cavaliers (West Vancouver) (9), Langley Christian Lightning (10-tie), Mulgrave Titans (West Vancouver) (HM), St. John Brebeuf Bears (Abbotsford) (HM), Whistler Storm (NR)

(Lyle Dhur, SportVictoria.com)

SINGLE A

1 Highroad Academy Knights (Chilliwack) (LW-1) 

2 Unity Christian Flames (Chilliwack) (2)

3 Kelowna Christian Knights (3)

4 Barriere Cougars (4)

5 Credo Christian Kodiaks (Langley) (5) 

6 Vernon Christian Royals (6) 

7 Gudangaay Tiaat’sgaa Naay Thunder (Masset) (7) 

8 St. John’s Eagles (Vancouver) (8) 

9 Glenlyon Norfolk Gryphons (Victoria) (9)

10 Fernie Falcons (10)

HONOURABLE MENTION — Similkameen Sparks (Keremeos) (HM), King David Lions (Vancouver) (HM), Cedars Christian Eagles (Prince George) (HM), Deer Lake Academy Falcons (Burnaby) (NR), McBride Mustangs (HM)

(BCHSBBA)

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