LANGLEY — The Maple Ridge Ramblers are starting to look like the Detroit Lions of B.C. high school basketball.
From winless, 0-20 season in 2021-22 as Grade 9s to qualifying for the B.C. senior boys Triple-A tournament as the champions of the Fraser North?
Yup.
“We went from not winning a game with our crew in Grade 9.. not one… not one game… to now,” began tournament MVP guard Moe Mouawia, still seemingly gasping for breath in the aftermath of the team’s 70-64 win over Burnaby’s St. Thomas More Knights on Sunday at the Langley Events Centre.
“I am just thankful for what we have here with our crew and our coaches,” he added after scoring 15 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Just what the Vegas odds might have been at the start of the season for the Ramblers to not only make the provincials but get there with zone championship credentials is anyone’s guess, but if you’re looking for a pro sports comparable it is most definitely the NFL’s Lions getting to the NFC championship game two seasons after going 3-13-1.
STM guard Shane Deza’s baseline drive for a layin with 27.3 seconds left tied the score at 66-66, but it was Mouawia’s seemingly radar-aided drive through trafffic after pouncing on a loose ball along the sidelines which ultimately decided the game.
After a Knights’ player attempted to save possession along the sideline just inside how side of half court by throwing the ball off a Maple Ridge player, the resulting carom pin-balled onto the floor.
Mouawia’s drive through tradffic dropped through with 3.7 seconds remaining for a 68-66 lead.
“No. 2 is a great player and they really utilize their strengths,” said Knights head coach Denzel Laguerta said of Mouawia. “I told (my players) he is pretty athletic, that No. 2 is going to go right, and he still got to his right hand. And on the kick-outs they punished us… and on the effort plays as well, like the O boards.”
The contest closed out at 70-66 when Ramblers’ big man Owen Fernandes stole the ball at half-court, and using every ounce of his dribble, managed to somehow stay ahead of STM defenders for an insurance lay-up with 1/10th of a second remaining.
Comically, Fernandes still had enough composure to raise a finger to signify No. 1 as he approached the basket, despite the quickly evaporating game clock.
Maple Ridge head coach Brody Herman said there was a lot to plan for against a talented Knights team which is largely composed of last season’s B.C. junior boys championship team.
“We knew Zeru was amazing, so we had to take him out of his rhythm if we could,” said Herman, who had previously coached the senior boys at Pitt Meadows. “And credit to other guys because they made shots and (Jacob) Oreta had a fabulous game,” continued Herman of the Grade 11 guards who scored a game-high 28 points. “I guess our guys were just gritty enough and got to enough loos eballs… we executed.”
Liam Sampson added 15 more points for the Ramblers while Vincent Longmuir added 13.
Abera had 19 points for the Knights, who are still alive in the fight to clinch at spot at the provincials.
STM will now challenge the winner of Sunday’s Samuel Robertson vs. Byrne Creek game for the zone’s final berth to the Triple-A provincials.
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