Back in the day -- 2005 -- SFU's Jason Marshall (Carson Graham, left) and UBC's Blake Smelser (Burnaby Central) were duelling pivots promoting the Shrum Bowl. (Photo -- SFU Athletics)
Feature University Football

Shrum Bowl drought hits record seven straight years as UBC, SFU release 2017 schedules

If you’re a passionate believer in the importance of B.C.’s annual crosstown university football rivalry, you’re no doubt thirsty for the return of the Shrum Bowl.

As a Kelowna Owl in March of 2016, new UBC Thunderbird recruit Grant Shephard smooched with the tournament MVP trophy. (Richard Lam, UBC athletics)
Feature University Men's Basketball

UBC gets Grant the Great! Kelowna’s Quad-A MVP Grant Shephard chooses ‘Birds

(This is a complete write-through of the earlier story Varsity Letters broke on UBC’s signing of former Kelowna Owls basketball star Grant Shephard. There’s more quotes from all concerned including Shephard’s former high school coach Harry Parmar, and additional reporting on the impact his arrival could have on the program)VANCOUVER — Even after an inglorious end to its 2016-17 U Sports […]

Simon Fraser's trio of incoming high school recruits for 2017-18 are, clockwise from top left: Sierra Schefer, Juliana Babic and Kendal Sands. (Photos: VK Basketball, courtesy Juliana Babic and SFU athletics, Howard Tsumura-Varsity Letters)
Feature High School Girls Basketball University Women's Basketball

Clan’s Sweet 16 hoops roster opens, gives Class of ’17 recruits faster NCAA futures

BURNABY — The Simon Clan women’s basketball team, which honoured just a pair of graduating players on its Seniors Night in late February, is going to be a lot younger team than originally anticipated this coming season.

New Westminster Hyacks' Sarah Forgie (left) dives to the floor to snare a loose ball in front of Walnut's Grove's Jessica Wisotzki during Mainland-Valley girls all-star game Wednesday in Port Coquitlam. (Varsity Letters photo by Howard Tsumura)
Feature High School Girls Basketball

Tsumura’s Take: Why the future of B.C. girls high school hoops is so bright

PORT COQUITLAM — On the last day of the 2016-17 high school basketball season, dire predictions about the state of the girls game in our province seemed to be the last thing on anyone’s mind.A new concept, which pitted age-class competition in an all-star game format between the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland zones on […]

Former Tamanawis Wildcats' star Sukhjot Bains begins his NCAA Div. 1 basketball career next season at Wisconsin-Green Bay. (Varsity Letters photo by Howard Tsumura)
Feature High School Boys Basketball University Men's Basketball

Tammy’s Sukh Bains turns three-year hoops odyssey into NCAA Div. 1 future at Wisc-Green Bay

In his senior year of 2013-14, at Surrey’s Tamanawis Secondary, Sukhjot Bains was voted B.C.’s No. 1 senior boys basketball player.

St. Thomas More's Cam Morris (right) scores in the post against Vancouver College's Sam Bailey, helping lead the Triple A past the Quad A in a BC all-star clash Saturday in Richmond. (Wilson Wong/UBC athletics photo for Varsity Letters)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

Triples top Quads! Historic hoops result cements BC boys basketball parity

RICHMOND — Historic.Even though it’s the classification with the least amount of lineage in the annals of B.C. High School Boys Basketball Association history, the three-season-old Triple A tier made a massive statement at Saturday’s provincial all-star  weekend at R.C. Palmer Secondary.

Cambie Secondary's Zak Hassan led the Double A all-stars Saturday with a game-high 31 points and game MVP honours. (Wilson Wong photo/ UBC athletics for Varsity Letters)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

Zak attack helps Double A all-stars, Cambie’s Hassan picked game MVP

RICHMOND — He may not always hear his name mentioned with the most accomplished players at his tier, but on the final day of the 2016-17 season Saturday, no one was better than Zak Hassan.

Killarney Cougars' Kiante Knight soars to the bucket on his way to winning the first B.C. high school slam dunk championship contested since 2009, Saturday in Richmond. (Wilson Wong, UBC athletics for Varsity Letters)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

Killarney’s Knight, Dhillon of ‘Canes champs as B.C. dunk, three-point contests return

RICHMOND — Kiante Knight wasn’t able to cap his high school basketball career with a berth in the provincial championships, yet the Killarney Cougars standout still managed to put an exclamation point on things.