Riverside's Avery Sussex (left) and Walnut Grove's Kyanna Knoedel squared off in last March's B.C. Quad-A final at the LEC. Both players and both teams return to same friendly confines Dec. 13-16 for the Tsumura Baseball Invitational. (Photo by Wilson Wong 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Girls Basketball

TBI GIRLS 2023: At 32 teams strong, here’s our full team reveal for the latest girls Tsumura Basketball Invitational, set to tip Dec. 13-16 at the LEC!

LANGLEY — Best ever?Admittedly, it’s a superlative that gets tossed around a little too lightly these days.Yet as it pertains to the overall quality, depth and competitiveness of what will be the 2023 senior girls Tsumura Basketball Invitational, it’s one that seems more likely than not to hit its mark.For the first time ever, the […]

Semiahmoo's Torian Lee was selected MVP of the 2023 B.C. senior boys Quad-A basketball championships after his Thunderbirds defeated fellow Surrey rival Fleetwood Park at the Langley Events Centre. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

A SUNDAY READ: With a 39-point average margin of victory at 2023 Quad-A B.C.’s championships, are the Semiahmoo Thunderbirds ready to be counted as one of tourney’s all-time best teams? Let the debates begin!

LANGLEY — Take a day to ponder what was in all likelihood one of the most dominant four-day runs in top-tiered B.C. boys high school basketball history, and you come to the realization that the 2022-23 Semiahmoo Thunderbirds have to be counted among the greatest champs in the event’s 77-year history.With too many gaping holes […]

A repeat title seems just as sweet as the first for St. Patrick's players and fans on Saturday at the LEC. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

A SUNDAY READ: Beneath its flash and dash, St. Pat’s reveal a new wrinkle as Celtics top hard-luck Dover Bay to repeat as B.C. Triple-A champions!

No. 1 ST. PATRICK’S 91 No. 2 DOVER BAY 80BY HOWARD TSUMURALANGLEY — Good basketball coaches know a good basketball team when they see one, and the second Nap Santos laid eyes on the Dover Bay Dolphins, he knew that somewhere along every defending champion’s perilous road to a repeat title, his team would have […]

Winning King David head coach David Amram is hoisted on the shoulders of his players after the Lions beat Unity Christian on Saturday in the B.C. senior boys Single-A high school basketball championship final, March 11, 2023 at the Langley Events Centre. (Photo by Wilson Wong 2023 by special permission. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

B.C. Single A final: Rally-minded King David tops No. 1 Unity Christian! Vancouver’s No. 2 Lions claim first-ever B.C. senior boys hoops title!

BY GARY AHUJA(The Langley Events Centre)LANGLEY — The King David Lions pulled off the upset, denying the Unity Christian Flames an opportunity for a third consecutive provincial banner.Trailing by eight points with 7:35 to play, the second-seeded Lions scored 12 of the final 16 points to deny their Chilliwack opponent’s three-peat bid. The two teams […]

Victorious King George coach Darko Kulic celebrates in a sea of fans after his Dragons put on a record-setting defensive clinic to beat Brentwood College during final day action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 11, 2023. (Photo by Mark Steffens property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

B.C. Double-A final: MVP Bakare’s 41 points and a good luck charm help No. 2 King George to resounding win over No. 1 Brentwood College!

By Gary Kingston(Special for Varsity Letters)NO. 2 KING GEORGE DRAGONS 63  NO. 1 BRENTWOOD COLLEGE 33LANGLEY  – A rock. A simple little rock handed to him by his two-year-old daughter, Aria, was the good luck charm that King George Dragons head coach Darko Kulic kept in his pocket for four months.On Saturday at the Langley […]

Fleetwood Park's Izaec Oppal (21) celebrates after he drains one of his three straight triples in the fourth quarter during Day 3 Final Four action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

1ST-EVER ALL-SURREY B.C. SENIOR BOYS FINAL tips off 8 pm tonight at LEC! Dragons upset of Oak Bay means Fleetwood v Semiahmoo makes history across all 4 tiers & 77 years!

LANGLEY — For the first time in 77 years, two Surrey schools will meet to decide the B.C. senior boys basketball championship.And while the No. 1 Semiahmoo Thunderbirds were convincing 96-68 winners over the No. 5 Kelowna Owls in its B.C. Quad-A semifinal clash Friday at the Langley Events Centre, the historic all-Surrey derby needed […]

Torian Lee (centre) of Semiahmoodrives between Kelowna's Max Gainey (left) and Walker Sodaro during Day 3 Final Four action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

QUAD-A: Final Four Friday game reports are here!

LANGLEY — Welcome to Final Four Friday here at the Langley Events Centre.To the best of our ability’s the Varsity Letters team will attempt to provide live game reports on each of the two B.C. semifinal games being played tonight at this tier.Timing will all depend on our writing, photographic and broadcasting demands this evening, […]

Faisal Shaw (left) of the King George Dragons blocks a shot attempt by John Barsby's Jonny Durkan during Day 3 Final Four action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 10, 2023.. (Photo by Mark Steffens property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

DOUBLE-A: Final Four Friday game reports are here!

LANGLEY — We’ve gone final for the night.Here are the recaps of tonight’s two Double-A semifinal contests.ALL STORIES BY AARON MARTIN (Special for Varsity Letters)2 KING GEORGE 74 NO. 6 JOHN BARNSBY 48LANGLEY, BC – The Dragons will have one more to chance to roar on the biggest stage.The No 2-ranked King George squad earned […]

Ezra Heayie (right) of Vancouver's King David Lions plays the take-away game with the Aberdeen Hall Gryphons during Day 3 Final Four action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

SINGLE-A: Final Four Friday game reports are here!

LANGLEY — Welcome to Final Four Friday here at the Langley Events Centre.To the best of our ability’s the Varsity Letters team will attempt to provide live game reports on each of the two B.C. semifinal games being played tonight at this tier.Timing will all depend on our writing, photographic and broadcasting demands this evening, […]

Dover Bay's Luke Linder scored a game-high 42 points in his team's win over the North Delta Huskies during Day 3 Final Four action at the B.C. senior boys high school basketball championships, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Blair Shier property of Vancouver Sports Pictures 2023. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Boys Basketball

TRIPLE-A: Final Four Friday game reports are here!

LANGLEY — We’ve gone final.Here’s a look at our two semifinals tonight at the BC boys AAA championships.STORY BY HOWARD TSUMURATRIPLE AFINAL FOURNO. 2 DOVER BAY 91 NO. 6 NORTH DELTA 59LANGLEY — Luke Linder likes to start off small and build towards the bit-hit moments which are such a highlight of his shooting game.Yet […]