LANGLEY TOWNSHIP — Welcome to Day 1 of the 2026 B.C. senior girls Double-A basketball championship, coming to you from the Langley Events Centre.
Please check back here reguarly as our team of writers provide first-hand game coverage from the eight sudden-elimination games being contested at this tier.
Thanks for your loyalty!
Howard Tsumura
DOUBLE A
NO. 2 CREDO CHRISTIAN 71 NO. 15 WEST POINT GREY ACADEMY 54
By KATIE MIYAZAKI (Special for Varsity Letters)
LANGLEY TOWNSHIP – Moving up from the Single-A P last year, the Credo Christian Kodiaks proved why they were ranked so high and that they belong in this year’s 2026 Double-A Provincial Championships.
This would not be the typical No. 2 vs No. 15 match-up you would expect, as the game would prove to be closer than the final score of 71-54 would reflect when it wrapped up at the Langley Events Centre.
“We had a nice lead the whole time, which was nice, but it just felt tight the whole time,” said Coach Kayla Vanderhorst of the Kodiaks after the game. “They’ve got that number 20 (Sophie Dawe) who is a strong player. So, we just tried to shut her down a little bit.”
And shut her down a little bit is what the Kodiaks were able to do. Wolves Co-Captain Sophie Dawe showcased why they are one of the best players in the province, putting up 27 points (slightly down from the 30 points per game they averaged during the year) by hitting multiple 3 pointers, and knocking down 8 of 10 free throws.
The height of the Kodiaks and five first half-blocks by 6’0” Kallie Breukelman (named Player of the Game) would allow the Kodiaks to build up a 20-13 lead at the and 37-32 at the halftime break, but the Wolves would not be deterred.
The Wolves would come out with their best quarter in third, producing 17 points in a well spread out team effort. A steal and score by Dawe would cut the score to 43-31 and force a Kodiak’s time out. The Wolves would even cut the lead to single digits momentarily, but a strong fourth would be when the Kodiaks would push ahead for good.
In the fourth, Credo Christian would start with a 9-0 run, creating a deficit too big for the Wolves, but the Wolves would play to the final whistle. The Wolves, led by Head Coach Nadia Brenko, graduate nine players this season, but the valuable experience gained by their younger players, including Grade 9 Sienna Lalari and Grade 10s Ming Trebilcock, and Fia Johnston who all scored in the game, will be invaluable moving forward.
Hailey Stam would lead the Kodiaks in scoring with 20 points, with Breukelman (17), Presley Kobes (14), and Rayelle Leffers (11) all hitting double digit scoring.
The Kodiaks can now look ahead to the quarterfinals and will await the winner of J.L Jackson and Southridge, but Coach Vanderhorst is already proud of their squad, “This is our first Double-A Provincials, so to be Top 8 is amazing.”
NO. 7 JL JACKSON 52 NO. 10 SOUTHRIDGE 34
By KATIE MIYAZAKI (Special for Varsity Letters)
LANGLEY TOWNSHIP – Small in roster, but not small in heart, skill, and talent are the J.L. Jackson Jays.
With a roster of just 8 student-athletes in J.L. Jackson’s first year of senior basketball for the program, the Jays put together a 13-win and 10-loss season, with all 10 loses coming against Triple-A and Quad-A teams.
Historically, J.L Jackson served as a feeder school for Salmon Arm Secondary but is now reconfigured as a senior secondary. Fortunately for the Jays, all their players from their junior program decided to stay rather than be spread between Salmon Arm and J.L. Jackson. With no Grade 12s on their roster, this group of Jays, who at the end of this season will have three Provincial Championships under their belts (two Junior and one Senior), turned the change into a No. 7 ranking at the 2026 Senior Girls Double-A Basketball Provincials.
For Southridge, they felt battle tested and a team that no one wanted to play coming into provincials. The Storm went through the tough South Frasers and their 17-8 included playing games against 8 of the other 9 teams in the Top 10. In what was a supposed to be a rebuilding year after losing 8 players, the leadership and chemistry of the team have led to one of the most enjoyable seasons ever for Southridge Head Coach Paul Chiarenza.
Now onto the basketball taking place in the Langley Events Centre in the second match-up of the day.
The first quarter was very much back and forth to start the game, with neither team able to get more than a two point lead. The second quarter, which included full-court pressure from the Storm, would continue to be deadlocked.
Southridge Grade 12 Jayda Randhawa, described by Coach Chiarenza as “the engine that makes this team go”, would pour in 8 points in the first half, with teammate Nicole Lofing putting in 9 first half points to take a slim 24-23 lead at the half.
The second half would be a different story. The calm and collected Jays would continue to be able to weather the Storm pressure and even make it rain, dropping three 3 pointers (two by Ripley Jonker and one by Mackenzie Bastock) in the third to build a 42-28 lead going into the fourth.
Southridge, boasting a student section with clappers and buckets, looked to use that energy to mount a comeback in the final quarter. After scoring the first three points and forcing multiple turnovers to start the quarter, it looked like Southridge was primed to make a run until J.L. Jackson’s Keira Cadden took over. Cadden, who is one of the best all-round players in this province, showcased how they averaged 20 points, 5 assists, 7 steals and 10 rebounds during the season. During one stretch, Cadden hit a pull up jumper, drew an offensive foul on the defensive end, then made a slick dish to teammate Jaidyn Danyluk down low to extend the lead to 15.
But as much as they shined on the offensive end, it was the defence that was the difference maker. The J.L. Jackson Jays limited the Southridge offence to just 12points in the second half to take the 52-34 victory.
“Great team effort, gusty” said Co-coach Kira Limber. “Everyone that came in played a great game.”
Co-Coaches Keith and Kira Limber had few words after the game, but the play of their team spoke loudly. The first season of Senor Girls Basketball for the J.L. Jackson is off to a great start, and they will look to keep adding to it tomorrow afternoon.
The J.L. Jackson Jays will take on the Credo Christian Kodiaks in the 2026 Double-A Basketball Provincial Championship quarterfinals Thursday, February 25th at 1:45pm in the Fieldhouse of the Langley Events Centre.
NO. 3 ST. THOMAS MORE 86 NO. 14 ST. JOHN BREBEUF 57
By KATIE MIYAZAKI (Special for Varsity Letters)
LANGLEY TOWNSHIP – Teamwork. Chemistry. A special bond. You can see it when you watch the St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights play.
You can see it in the ball movement, the way they fly around on defence, and the way they point to give recognition to the person that passed them the ball after a made basket.
Boasting what could be three of the most dynamic and toughest guards in the province, the undersized Knights came out flying to start the third game of the 2026 Double-A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships.
“I think we came out swinging,” said St. Thomas More head coach Cassie Lauang. “We look ready… we look composed… we had two weeks of practices that we had to sharpen all the tools in our toolkit.”
And they showcased all their tools in their toolkit.
Right out of the gate the full-court pressure of the Knights proved to be trouble for the St. John Brebeuf Bears. The Bears are making their first appearance at Provincials since 2022 after putting together an impressive 19-8 record during the year.
The Knights would play fast and play together, and they would quickly build up a 10-2 lead after an and-one by Grade 11 Kyla Limon in transition.
Looking to have a strong finish to their high school careers, Grade 12’s Demicah Arnaldo and Mia Beliveau would convert back-to-back steals into point to extend the lead to 20-4 just over halfway through the first quarter.
(Check out this great article by Demicah Arnaldo about the pressures associated with sports and their own journey. Link to article: https://stthomasmorecollegiate.ca/news/a-knights-tale-under-pressure/)
Offensive rebounds and free throws would allow the St. John Brebeuf Bears back into the game, putting together a strong 8-2 run. Utilizing their menacing full-court pressure, St. Thomas More would respond and a Mackenzie Pagtakhan three at the first quarter buzzer would mean a 31-12 lead for the Knights.
The Bears would start to settle in to facing the Knights pressure in the second and their offence would continue to get going. Miyana Fenrich would score 10 of their 13 points in the quarter to cut the deficit down. For the St. John Brebeuf Bears, Grade 12 Nadia Andrews led the way with 20 points.
Unfortunately for the Bears, back-to-back 3 pointers by Arnaldo would re-ignite the Knights offence. Arnaldo would hit one more right before the half to give the Knights a 49-30 lead into the break.
Beliveau, who will be playing for the SFU Red Leafs next year and who Head Coach Cassie Laoung describes as a “high energy guard who can get to the rim at will” showcased just that to open the second half. After the Bears were able to get to the line and convert their free throws, Beliveau would slice through the defence on back-to-back possession, finishing both at the rim with ease.
Even with the lead growing, the Bears would continue to fight through to the end. For both sides, it meant valuable minutes for some of their younger student-athletes. For St. Thomas More, it included Grade 8 Emina Sidhu who scored ?? points in their Provincials debut. For St. John Brebeuf Bears, Grade 9 Madeline Gaudet (who received the loudest cheers all game) subbed in for their sister, Grade 11 Lauren Gaudet, and scored a basket, leading to even louder cheers from the Bears fans in attendance.
The well-rounded effort from the Knights saw all three of their Grade 12’s hit double digits, with Arnaldo hitting 5 threes and contributing 19 points, followed by Beliveau and Pagtakhan both with 18.
“I think our kids look like they’re having fun and there’s a lighthearted sense of purpose to what we are doing on both ends” said Coach Lauang after the game. “It’s a fun little culture we got and these girls just truly, they do connect with each other. They want to see each other be successful. So I’m really lucky and I’m grateful to be part of this team.”
And maybe if you are lucky enough, you will get a chance to see this team in action. Head out to the Langley Events Centre February 25-28 to catch more of the great action at the 2026 Girls Basketball Provincial Championships.
NO. 6 PACIFIC ACADEMY 52 NO. 11 FERNIE 43
By KATIE MIYAZAKI (Special for Varsity Letters)
LANGLEY TOWNSHIP – What a battle.
The fourth matchup of the bottom quadrant of the 2026 Double-A Girls Basketball Provincial Championship would pit Kootney’s #1 Fernie Falcons against the South Fraser’s #2 Pacific Academy Breakers.
The Fernie Falcons are no strangers to the LEC, having qualified for the Double-A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships for the last ten years in a row. Fernie shows year after year that they belong here, even as the smallest 2A school in the province.
The Pacific Academy Breakers continue to showcase they are more than “just a volleyball school”, making their fifth appearance in a row at the Double-A Girls Basketball Provincial Championship.
Fernie would fight until the end, but Pacific Academy would walk away with the victory 52-43 and earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
“That was an incredible battle. Fernie’s an incredible team. Ball didn’t go in much in the beginning, but we just kept telling the girls get to the rim, get to the rim,” said Head Coach Mike Voros of the Pacific Academy Breakers.
Baskets would be hard to come by in the first half, but Falcon’s Jacey Anderson would knock down back-to-back short corner twos early in the game against the Breakers zone defence.
Pacific Academy’s Megan Thompson, who only returned to the court on February 10th after rehabbing for 7-months due to shoulder surgery, would showcase their skill late in the quarter, splitting the Falcon’s defence to tie the game at 8-8.
Looking to change up the pace, Fernie would switch to a full court press, but it was more of the same in the 2nd quarter and Pacific Academy would hold a slim 20-18 lead at the half.
They often say defence wins championships, but I think both teams went into the second half hoping their offences would wake up.
Fernie would score the first basket, but Pacific Academy would respond with a 9-0 run, including a Amicko Li 3 pointer that seemed to wake up both sides. Kamry Yuill would utilize their 6’2” frame to produce extra possessions for Fernie and hit a putback in traffic to cut the lead to just two. Breaker’s Grade 9 Mila Gauer would hit a 3 near the quarter buzzer to extend the Breaker’s lead to 37-31 heading into the final quarter.
The first basket of the quarter would come from Falcon’s Olivia Blumhagen from behind the arc, but Breaker’s captain Amelie Baril would respond right back with a three of their own. Playing with the heart and spirit that we have come to associate with Fernie, it seemed like every time they would make a bit of a comeback, Baril would deliver a 3 to re-extend the lead for Pacific Academy and Fernie was never able to close the gap.
“In the second half, we were able to pull away, knock some shots down,” said Coach Voros after the game. “I thought in particular, Megan [Thompson] and Amelie [Baril] were just dynamite… really proud of this team.”
Baril knocked down 3 three pointers and contributed 11 points, with Thompson adding 12 points and both contributed to all aspects of the game.
With the win, Pacific Academy will take on No. 3 St. Thomas More Collegiate tomorrow in the quarterfinals.
NO. 5 PACIFIC CHRISTIAN 68 VS. NO. 12 MULGRAVE 56
By IAN FRENCH (Special for Varsity Letters)
LANGLEY — The fifth-ranked Pacific Christian Pacers matched up with the eighth-seeded Mulgrave Titans on the first day of the B.C. senior girls’ Double-A Provincial championships, and only two words are needed to describe this game: grit personified. Defence stole the show from tip to final buzzer, with countless blocks, steals, and sound transition defence, leading to a final score of 68-56 in favour of the Pacers.
Senior Pacers guard Kealayna Tupas-Singh propelled her team’s momentum throughout. Just as Mulgrave would seemingly close the gap, Tupas-Singh either found the basket or found teammates for open chances. Finishing with a game-high 29 points — 22 of which came in the second half — she also contributed heavily off the stat sheet, being vocal to hype up her team from the jump, and it seemed to be working.
“She is a humble, talented, generational player”, began Pacers coach Jen Stewart on Tupas-Singh’s impact. “She doesn’t mind putting the team on her back, but she’ll find ways to make other people great. It’s beautiful to watch, we can’t say enough.”
Both sides traded multiple steals in the opening minutes. With bodies flying from the jump, each team was aggressively trying to set their own tone for the game. Tupas-Singh got the Pacers on the board to start, but Titans guard Riley Armstrong, known for her defensive prowess, nailed a catch-and-shoot three to respond. A few minutes later, Mulgrave’s Sophia Takeuchi followed up with a high-arching three of her own. The Pacers continued to find the twine while the Titans capitalized on a handful of chances at the free throw line, as the first quarter ended with a narrow 13-11 lead in favour of Pacific Christian.
The second quarter is where the Pacers managed to carve out some breathing room, but the Titans weren’t going to roll over. As the frame went on, Mulgrave kept chipping away at the deficit through stellar inside scoring, keeping the game in reach. The Titans’ dominance in the paint was highlighted by Emma Hoogendoorn’s rebounding ability as the second-year forward fought hard on the offensive glass to consistently create second-chance opportunities for herself and her teammates. Trailing by as much as eight in the frame, the Pacers’ presence on the glass led to a halftime score of 26-24.
Tupas-Singh came out for the third on a mission, knocking down a three in the opening minutes, bringing her game total to double-digits in the process. Freshman guard Andrada Danciu followed suit with a three-pointer of her own on the following possession. Tupas-Singh then drove to the hoop and knocked down an off-the-glass layup through traffic, drawing the foul and turning it into a three-point play. Tupas-Singh wasn’t done there as she followed with yet another three to inflate her team’s lead to as much as 13 in the frame and finished the third up 48-36.
Mulgrave’s Maryam Mojarradi knocked down a deep, nothing-but-net three to cut the deficit to 10 in the opening minutes of the fourth. But, just as it appeared the Titans were regaining momentum, Tupas-Singh drove hard to the net, dancing around defenders to get to the hoop for two. While getting back on defence, the tenacious guard clogged the passing lanes, forcing a turnover while immediately driving to the basket for back-to-back clean layups. The Pacers held strong from here and finished with a 68-56 win over the Mulgrave Titans.
“With a talented team like Mulgrave, they have depth, but they have youth, and they’re fast. They gave lots of pressure, and our girls were able to adjust”, reflected Pacers coach John Stewart. “We haven’t seen a lot of that type of pressure earlier in the season, and today, our girls were able to adapt and be able to execute our gameplan.”
The Pacific Christian Pacers advance and will face the winner between the Notre Dame Jugglers and the Westsyde Whundas, scheduled for 5:15 p.m. PT on February 26 at the Langley Event Centre’s Fieldhouse.
4:45 P.M. NOTRE DAME (4) VS. WESTSYDE (13)
6:15 P.M. LAMBRICK PARK (8) VS. COLLINGWOOD (9)
7:45 P.M. HOLY CROSS (1) VS. DAWSON CREEK (16)
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