It was the King George Dragons and the Santa Margarita Eagles taking home the hardware from the 2023 Tsumura Basketball Invitational Boys Tournament at the Langley Events Centre
With the 32-team tournament split into a pair of 16-team brackets, the Dragons won the Select 16 title 76-64 over the St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights while the Eagles soared to an 85-32 victory over the St. Patrick Celtics in the Super 16 championship game. Both games were played Saturday, Dec. 9, wrapping up four days of basketball action.
Select 16
King George 76 St. Thomas More Collegiate 64
Having a depleted line-up with injuries and sickness during a busy stretch, the King George Dragons had every excuse to not be at their best. Yet there they were at the end, hoisting the championship trophy following a 76-64 win over the St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights.
“It was just grit. Nine games in 11 days with six kids playing a lot,” marveled Dragons head coach Darko Kulic. “We just showed the heart of a champion.”
Super 16
Santa Margarita 85 St. Patrick 32
The Santa Margarita Eagles came from California and head coach Justin Bell wanted to use the trip as a way to bond and set the path for what lay ahead.
“We started our season 3-3 and our defence wasn’t as good as it needed to be,” Bell said. “And sometimes at home it is hard to focus when they have so many distractions and things going on, so it was good to get away and get them to understand what being a team is and putting all the pieces together.”
In Saturday’s championship final – which pitted them against another Catholic school in Vancouver’s St. Patrick Celtics – the teams were tied at 8 late in the first quarter before the Eagles found another gear to the tune of a 20-2 run into the next period. By halftime, the score was 48-15 and Santa Margarita was on their way to a fourth-straight blowout victory.
Langley teams finished out of medal contention, with Brookswood losing one and winning three including Saturday’s 74-69 victory over rivals Walnut Grove.
Walnut Grove lost one and won two before meeting Brookswood.
Up next will be the Tsumura Basketball Invitational Girls Tournament, which gets underway Wednesday, Dec. 13, once again featuring 32 of the top teams in a pair of 16-team brackets.
All TBI games are free to attend.
For schedule and scores, visit www.langleyeventscentre.com/tbi.
For those unable to make it out to LEC, games can be streamed free of charge at TFSETV.ca.
