By HOWARD TSUMURA
LANGLEY — Welcome to our Final Four Friday here in the Super 16 draw.
Keep checking back here for game reports from our two games. Patience please as your host may also be broadcasting and photographing games in addition to writing reports.
TAMANAWIS 62 TERRY FOX 52
By HOWARD TSUMURA
LANGLEY — The Tamanwis Wildcats senior boys basketball team showed up at the Langley Events Centre for the provincial Quad-A basketball championships last March like the walking wounded, and because of it, they lasted one game on the championship side of the draw.
As a result, one of the players fans of B.C.’s own version of March Madness didn’t get to see was the team’s sharp-shooting 5-foot-10 guard Gurjowan Cheema, who had been missed by his team after suffering a meniscus injury.
On Friday, in the TBI Super 16 Final Four, he was impossible to miss.
Wanting to make amends for a missed opportunity this season, Cheema has been a huge part of the ‘Cats maintaining a No. 1-ranking in the B.C. Top 10.
In fact he was so good in his team’s 62-52 win over the unranked Terry Fox Ravens of Port Coquitlam in the first of two Final Four contests, that on occasion his mere presence had the defence mired in a game of second guessing.
Cheema appeared to be taking turns hitting baseline corner threes all over the LEC’s South Court hardwood, and when he hit his fourth of the game to start the second half, he had gotten into the heads of the Ravens.
The next time down the floor, he got the ball again, in the very same spot, and this time it was a shot fake to freeze the defence, then the perfect lob entry inside to forward-centre Luka Guzina, who very easily deposited the ball home for two of his game-high 25 points.
No question Guzina is the team’s X-factor, yet it’s a player like Cheema who gives the No. 1-ranked Quad-A team that added dimension of depth.
“I mean, that’s kind of his game,” said Tamanawis head coach Mike McKay, whose team will face the St. Patrick Celtics in Saturday’s championship final.
“I mean, he’s a guy you really can’t help off of. That’s hopefully kind of our advantage going forward, that we have a big guy, if you want to double off him, he’s going to be deadly in the corner.”
Cheema finished with 12 points but, as McKay explains, his contributions went beyond his actual point totals.
Often times he was tasked with handling the ball in the front court, and from an efficiency standpoint, his shooting stroke put maximum value on all of his touches.
And with the senior trio of Cheema, Guzina and 6-foot-4 forward Victor Cortel (15 points) thriving within a deep rotation, Friday’s overall effort showed that Tammy’s potential is just now being tapped.
In fact the back-to-back plays Cheema was a part of triggered a 10-2 run to open the second half and did a lot to keep the scrappy Ravens at bey.
“Absolutely,” agreed McKay, and he’s still coming back off his knee injury, getting more comfortable with his knee. Hopefully he’ll just continue to get back to where he was last year. I mean, we stat all our games and he shot like 49% from for three last year. He’s very good from the outside.”
The surge put the Wildcats, who led by 10 at the half, up 44-24 in the blink of an eye.
“But then our guys kind of backed down a little bit, and then Terry Fox answered the bell there,” continued McKay. “We went up to 20, and then for some reason we kind of just, I know, thought the game was over and didn’t really continue our lead there and only scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. But, I mean, they’re good defensively. They switch hard, they get out. They guard. So, I mean, if we don’t get those post-pass entries better, we won’t be able to beat teams like.”
Ravens head coach Rich Chambers admitted afterwards that his team has learned a lot about its potential over the week preparing for and playing at TBI.
“Our defence was good, but I mean, in the first half, we were eight-for-41,” he said. “But, I mean, that’s because of them. We just did a poor job guarding the big guy (Guzina), but the big guy’s tough. But I’m pretty pleased because we’ve come a long way in a week here.”
Deklan Martin, one of the province’s top three-pointer shooters, hit four triples to lead his team with 12 points. Point guard Marvin Reyes battled fouls for much of the game and had 10 points.
7:45 p.m. — ST. PATS vs. MEI
If you’re reading this story or viewing these photos on any website other than one belonging to a university athletic department, it has been taken without appropriate permission. In these challenging times, true journalism will survive only through your dedicated support and loyalty. VarsityLetters.ca and all of its exclusive content has been created to serve B.C.’s high school and university sports community with hard work, integrity and respect. Feel free to drop us a line any time at howardtsumura@gmail.com.
