A BC Battle Ends in VK's Favour

A competitive games between two B.C teams ended in VK U16’s favour. The younger team proved they could compete in the older age group as they defeated Langley Sports Association, 54-53, in the U17 championship game.

The score was tied, or within two, the entire game, with each team successfully scoring on almost every possession. Langley Sports raked up their points with a lot of outside shots, while VK players made consistent hard drives to the basket. Both teams had speed as the foundation of their offence, with VK penetrating the key and Langley using high screens to work the ball around the outside.

Langley came into the final after defeating TriCounty Thunder in the semi, Sunday evening. They took advantage of fast break opportunities, and took outside shots to beat the competitive team from Ontario. The VK U16 team advanced after winning a highly competitive club match up against their U17 team.

In a foul-filled final five seconds of the game, Langley closed the gap to make it a one-point game with 1.1 seconds left on the clock. After VK missed the inbound, Langley called a time out, which gave them the ball in their own court, VK redeemed themselves, picking off the inbound pass and securing the win.

Tavia Rowell from Langley was awarded the tournament MVP for the U17 age division, Rowell proved herself in every game, “it’s nice to win MVP because we played teams from all over,” she said of the recognition, “to know that I can compete and excel at that level is great.” Rowell finished the final game with 29 points, 4 rebounds, and a steal.

Head Coach of VK U16, Anthony Beyrouti, is proud of the effort his team put forth, “when you play team as good as Langley, it’s fun to watch your team really put it together and come out with the win, I’m happy for the girls.”

The tournament was a great way to cap off a successful season for both teams.

Written By: Sarah Reid