LANGLEY — As 2023 gives way to 2024, it’s been a case of ‘all quiet’ atop the upper reaches of B.C. senior boys basketball.
That is unless you look to the Vancouver Island South league, where the province’s top two Quad-A teams are making news each time they step on the court.
The latest installement in the all-Victoria Oak Bay vs. Spectrum battle resumes this coming Tuesday (Jan. 16) when the two teams meet in a 7:30 p.m. league contest at Oak Bay.
This week, the Bays held serve over a quiet holiday season, riding a 66-55 win over the Thunder Bay way back on Dec. 30 in the final of the UVic Alumni Tournament.
That victory, in the first polling action of 2024, expectedly moves Oak Bay back into No. 1 while Spectrum moves down to No. 2.
Spectrum had taken over the top spot in Quad-A in the last poll of 2023 following its 69-63 win Dec. 16 over Oak Bay at the Gary Taylor Classic.
Surrey’s Tamanwis Wildcats, coming off a 96-85 win Jan. 4 over Vancouver’s St. George’s Saints in the final of its own holiday invitational, check in at No. 3, down a spot from the last poll.
Vancouver’s St. Patrick’s Celtics and King George Dragons remain at No. 1 in their respective 3A and 2A Top 10 rankings.
Chilliwack’s Unity Christian Flames retain No. 1 at the Single A level in the first Top 10 of 2024.
BASKETBALL
TOP 10 RANKINGS
B.C. SENIOR BOYS
QUAD A
1 Oak Bay Bays (Victoria) (VI) (LW-3)
2 Spectrum Thunder (Saanich) (VI) (1)
3 Tamanawis Wildcats (Surrey) (SF) (2)
4 West Vancouver Highlanders (VSS) (4)
5 St. George’s Saints (Vancouver) (VSS) (5)
6 Burnaby South Rebels (FN) (6)
7 Vancouver College Fighting Irish (VSS) (7)
8 Semiahmoo Thunderbirds (Surrey) (SF) (8)
9 Kelowna Owls (TOK) (10)
10 Handsworth Royals (North Vancouver) (VSS) (9)
Honourable mention — Fleetwood Park Dragons (Surrey) (SF) (HM), Kitsilano Blue Demons (VSS) (HM), Sullivan Heights Stars (Surrey (SF) (HM), Walnut Grove Gators (Langley) (EV) (HM), Yale Lions (Abbotsford) (EV) (HM)
TRIPLE A
1 St. Patrick’s Celtics (Vancouver) (VSS) (LW-1)
2 Lord Byng Grey Ghosts (Vancouver) (VSS) (2)
3 Brookswood Bobcats (Langley) (EV) (3)
4 MEI Eagles (Abbotsford) (EV) (4)
5 North Delta Huskies (SF) (5)
6 St. Thomas More Knights (Burnaby) (FN) (6)
7 A.R. MacNeill Ravens (Richmond) (SF) (7)
8 Byrne Creek Bulldogs (Burnaby) (FN) (9)
9 Dover Bay Dolphins (Nanaimo) (VI) (8)
10 Windsor Dukes (North Vancouver) (VSS) (10)
Honourable mention — Carihi Tyees (Campbell River) (VI) (HM), Magee Lions (Vancouver) (VSS) (HM), Pitt Meadows Air Force (FN) (HM), Sir Charles Tupper Tigers (Vancouver) (VSS) (HM), South Delta Sun Devils (SF) (HM), South Kamloops Titans (T-OK) (HM)
DOUBLE A
1 King George Dragons (Vancouver) (VSS) (LW-1)
2 Pacific Academy Breakers (Surrey (SF) (2)
3 Collingwood Cavaliers (West Vancouver) (VSS) (3)
4 Westsyde Whundas (Kamloops) (TOK) (4)
5 John Barsby Bulldogs (Nanaimo) (VI) (5)
6 Lambrick Park Lions (Victoria) (VI) (6)
7 Langley Christian Lightning (EV) (7)
8 Southridge Storm (Surrey) (SF) (8)
9 Summerland Rockets (T-OK) (9)
10-tie Britannia Bruins (Vancouver) (VSS) (HM)
10 St. Michaels University School Blue Jags (Victoria) (VI) (10)
Honourable mention — Archbishop Carney Stars (PoCo) (FN) (HM), Brentwood College (Mill Bay) (VI) (HM), Khalsa Lions (Surrey) (SF) (NR), Mulgrave Titans (West Vancouver) (VSS) (HM), West Point Grey Academy Wolves (VSS) (HM)
SINGLE A
1 Unity Christian Flames (Chilliwack) (EV) (LW-1)
2 Credo Christian Kodiaks (Langley) (FN) (2)
3 King David Lions (Vancouver) (VSS) (3)
4 Aberdeen Hall Gryphons (Kelowna) (TOK) (4)
5 St. John’s Eagles (Vancouver) (VSS) (5)
6 Similkameen Sparks (Keremeos (TOK) (6)
7 Maple Ridge Christian Hornets (FN) (7)
8 Gidalang Kuuyas Naay Breakers (Daajiing Giids) (NW) (8)
9 Deer Lake Falcons (Burnaby) (FN) (9)
10 Cedars Christian Eagles (Prince George) (NC) (10)
Honourable mention —Bulkley Valley Christian Royals (Smithers) (NW) (HM), Brookes Westshore Gryphons (Victoria) (VI) (HM), Fraser Academy Mustangs (Vancouver) (VSS) (HM), Gudangasay Tlaats’gaa Nay Thunder (Masset) (NW (HM), John Knox Hawks (New Westminster) (FN) (HM)
(All rankings courtesy B.C. School Sports)
KEY: EV — East Valley, FN — Fraser North, NC — North Central, NW — North West, SF — South Fraser, T-OK — Thompson-Okanagan, VI — Vancouver Island, VSS — Vancouver Sea-to-Sky
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