The Hugh Boyd Trojans concluded their best season in nearly a decade on a high note.
The Trojans rolled to a 77-60 victory over Abbotsford’s Samuel Robertson Tech on Saturday to place 13th at the BC 2A Boys Basketball Championships at the Langley Events Centre. It was the their first provincial appearance since 2011.
Boyd opened the 16-team tournament as the No. 11 seed and dropped an 86-48 decision to eventual fourth place finisher Lambrick Park of Victoria. It was then a rematch against South Fraser Zone champion Southridge and a 68-56 loss to the South Surrey private school that went on to place ninth.
The Trojans picked up their first win in an 85-52 decision against Trail’s JL Crowe. Cash Willis and Payton Hinds each had 18 points. Nicholas Berda added 14 and Jason Grewal 12.
Hinds chipped in with 17 more on Saturday. Brandon Nguyen and Berda had 12 and Grewal added 11.
Cory Meister had 11 rebounds and six points. He is among several graduating players, joining Berda, Payton and Grewal in the Trojans’ usual starting five.
“Those four teams (in our bracket) proved to be really strong,” said Boyd head coach Norm Schultz, noting how Southridge fell by 19 points to No. 14 seed and eventual sixth place finisher George Elliott in its opening game. “With the right draw, we could have finished eighth or ninth. It just turned out to be a really tough group.
“Really though, there are no bad teams here at all. At the end of the day, it’s just nice to be leaving here with a couple of wins.”
Schultz is hoping it won’t be another nine years before his team is back in Langley. The new South Fraser Zone, which offered three BC berths, should help moving forward.
Playing in a provincial tournament environment will be beneficial too with Willis and Nguyen leading the group of returning players.
