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We’ve included this story as part of our Day 1 reports at VarsityLetters.ca, but it’s so unique we’re presenting it as a stand-alone story here!
No. 22 Pacific Academy 64 No. 6 Abbotsford Christian 48
LANGLEY — The No. 22 slot in the B.C. junior boys basketball championship draw is not some sweet spot from which gain launch codes for the Sweet 16.
Unless, of course, you go by the code name Pacific Academy Breakers and you become the shock-the-field story of Day 1.
After turning the odds on its collective ear with a 64-35 win over No. 11 South Kamloops in round one, the Breakers got even better for the evening session.
Now, it’s 64-48 win over No. 6 Abbotsford Christian is making the private Surrey-based Christian school an underdog with momentum heading into its 1 p.m. South Court date Sunday with powerhouse and No. 3 seed St. Patrick’s on Sunday.
With the crowd hanging on its every move in the Field House on Saturday night, opening day came to a fitting close with a display shot-making precision courtesy of guard Judah Ashbee (game-high 27 points) and a pre-game ritual that his dad, head coach Joel Ashbee, happened to find over the internet.
“I found a TED Talks that talked about body language, and how you can actually bring your testosterone level up and your cortisol level down by doing power poses,” coach Ashbee replied when asked in the post-game what exactly had gotten into his team.
“So we spent like 10 minutes in the locker room just posing and chanting and being a bunch of goofballs and we have never played this good.”
Imagine that.
On Saturday, it was the impetus to get the Breakers their first pair of wins at the junior boys provincial tournament in the school’s history, a feat which would have been considered astounding on Friday night, but one which now has them a Sunday victory away from the Final Four.
“The last three games, we are peaking at the right time… I wish I knew why, but these guys are just unreal,” said coach Ashbee.
Comaraderie… team chemistry, and playing for each other… might they still be under-rated traits by too many teams?
“Hundred-percent,” said Ashbee. “Especially at this age… We’re dealign with adolescents, so team means everything to them. So if you can tap into that a little bit, we see what got here.
“It’s all about whoever is feeling the mojo and we are feeling the mojo right now.”
Tei Lee Kim and Adriel Bougeup 13 points apiece for the winners who basically won the game on the heels of a 14-2 run to close out the third quarter with a 47-34 lead.
Nil Oskere led the Knights with 19 points, while Micah Sikma and John Pool added 10 apiece.
You can catch the full report here!
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