Coming off the most competitive season in the history of the Richmond Senior Boys Basketball League, it’s only fitting a new favourite has emerged for the 2015-16 campaign which tips off next week.
With plenty of returning and incoming talent, the Steveston London Sharks are poised to have their best season ever but they better keep an eye on their rearview mirror.
Sitting third in B.C. among AAA teams, the Sharks have the 10th ranked McMath Wildcats to deal with. The city is also strong as ever at the AA level with RC Palmer and Cambie ranked seventh and eighth respectively.
In no order, here is a brief rundown on how the 11 teams shape up heading into the season:
■ Steveston-Londson Sharks (AAA)
First city championship. First Lower Mainland title and first provincial berth. These are three goals all within reach of a Sharks team that is loaded with talent and size.
The Sharks’ front court is led by 6-foot-9 Team B.C. player Fardaws Aimaq, while returning swingman Nigel Boyd is a dynamic scorer. Steveston-London’s line-up is so deep that two starters from a year ago will begin the season coming off the bench.
“In my 15 years, I have never had this kind of size before,” said longtime coach Mike Stoneburgh. “We can actually run a high and low offence.
“Fardaws maybe 6-9 but he is not slow by any means and can shoot from the outside too. Nigel has already destroyed our school’s all-time scoring record and plays a real college style of game.
Stoneburgh has put together a competitive schedule for his squad including a trip to Seattle at the end of the month for a tournament at Franklin High. The Sharks’ Carkner Classic is also slated for Jan. 14-16.
■ Richmond Christian Eagles (AA)
For just the second time in school history, the Eagles reached the provincials last year after capturing the Lower Mainland championship. The task is much greater this season as the growing school has moved up to the AA level. Still there is plenty to achieve.
Coach Shane Tamana, who is teaming up with Rob Buller Taylor, is confident his squad will be competitive as a year ago and maybe then some.
“I feel like we are a little bit stronger,” he said. “We just missed out on making the Richmond playoffs last year and that’s something we are really shooting for this time. You’re going to see us going mainly with a four guard and one post line-up with plenty of fast break basketball.”
The Eagles will be led by Grade 12 point guard Sam Cabuay and promising Grade 11 Tim Cheung.
■ Burnett Breakers (AAA)
When four Richmond teams qualify for provincial tournaments and it doesn’t even include the city champion, some schools are going to be caught in the crossfire of such a competitive league.
That was the unfortunate scenario for a young Burnett squad a year ago that didn’t win a game.
RC Palmer grad Paul Teodosio has joined Bill Riach on the bench to help build the Breakers back into contention.
They will be counting on a blend of players that includes some aged up Grade 10s.
“It’s a good mix,” said Teodosio. “Height wise, we are going to be playing a lot of small ball just like a most schools in Richmond.
“Having grown up playing here, this is an exciting challenge for me. Last year proved you have to come ready to play every night in this league.”
■ McMath Wildcats (AAA)
Just like their cross-town rival McNair, the Wildcats will rely on a different formula to try and get back to provincials.
Without league MVP Anthony Demech, along with standout Jess Mason, the 10th ranked Wildcats have lost a good chunk of their production from a year ago. That doesn’t mean they can’t be successful.
Head coach Bik Chatha will lean on key returnees Ido Gortler and Graham Flynn, along with a talented group of Grade 11s.
“We will be relying on more hustle and better overall defence,” said Chatha. “This is going to be a scrappy team to play with more grit. There is no reason for us not to go back to provincials.”
■ McRoberts Strikers (AAA)
With longtime coach Brian Meier now working at Cambie, Neil Wickson has stepped in to make sure there is a season for the Strikers. Remarkably, the outside volunteer coach is also guiding the school’s junior boys team.
“Luckily, I’m retired so I can make this work,” laughed Wickson. “I have basically inherited Brian’s team and just want to continue what he has done.”
Having lost leading scorer Arnold Macalipay to graduation, the Strikers will rely on a more collective effort to produce points. In fact, Wickson is carrying a whopping 17 players and 15 of them will see the floor on a regular basis.
“I’ve never been one who cuts kids for having other commitments,” he added. “We are going to have three lines of five and just roll them out for now.”
■ Richmond Colts (AAA)
Guided by alumni players Mark and Matt Twyford the Colts captured their first city title in 15 years.
Grade 12 Jeremy Barsio is the key returning starter and the 6-foot-5 standout is poised to have a big season.
“Jeremy has really worked hard over the summer to get into shape,” said Mark Twyford. “He has already drawn interest from pro scouts in the Philippines and there are some schools too. He will have some decisions to make.”
With several new faces, it’s going to take some time for the Colts to gel. A busy schedule includes their own Tip Off Classic, the first time Richmond High has hosted a senior boys tournament since the days of the renowned Colt Review Classic. They will open play against Eric Hamber on Thursday at 2 p.m. The final goes Saturday.
“With the lack of returning players, we know we are going to be a middle of the pack team,” added Twyford. “That’s reality. The goal is not to win right now but learning how to play together as a group and try to peak come playoff time.”
■ McNair Marlins (AAA)
Coming off an outstanding season that concluded at the provincials, the Marlins will have a different look under coach Jessy Dhillon.
Gone are dynamic players Kevin Yang and Owen Vint. This year’s Marlins will rely on a full court pressure system and it will take a deeper bench to make it work.
“We had a lot of success the past couple of years and the kids who are back know what it takes,” said Dhillon. “This team has better depth. We won’t be relying on the same six or seven guys.
“I know some people are already counting us out but I’m still expecting us to be one of the top seeds in the Richmond playoffs.”
Key players for the Marlins include senior Ryan Angala, along with Grade 11s Talvinder Jadge and Graham Lynn.
McNair’s schedule features a busy January including the return of the Marlin Classic.
■ Cambie Crusaders (AA)
Basketball is back in a big way at Cambie Secondary and head coach Chris Mattu says his senior boys team is far from done.
After earning a rare provincial tournament berth a year ago, Mattu thinks this edition maybe even better, despite the loss of standout guard Justin Dhillon.
Riley Paulik and Tarn Dhaliwal lead a strong group of returning players.
Mattu has specifically loaded up his schedule with AA opponents to get a good idea what the provincial landscape looks like come playoff time.
“We have some really good juniors coming up which, I think, makes us even deeper than a year ago,” said Mattu. “The guys coming back have the experience of last season and now understand what it takes.”
Look for Grade 11s Kevin Dhillon and Kyle Kondola to also have prominent roles.
■ MacNeill Ravens (AAA)
It may not be track and field season until next spring, but look for the Ravens to get plenty of training ahead of time on the basketball court.
Veteran coach Jon Acob has taken over a squad that doesn’t have a player over 6 feet.
“Our motto this season is speed kills,” laughed Acob. “This is a pretty athletic group and we plan to use it our advantage.”
Acob has inherited a young squad that features nearly a dozen Grade 11 players. The group is led by the talented backcourt tandem of Josh Ignacio and Justin Dy-Pe who aged up last season.
■ RC Palmer Griffins (AA)
After going through some growing pains a year ago, the Griffins are ready to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the city again.
Palmer finished with a 3-7 record but nearly knocked off eventual champion Richmond High in the city playoffs. Now veteran coach Rob Brown looks to end a five year cycle with his Grade 12 players on a high note.
“These kids have had quite a bit of success since the Grade 8 level so last year was a new experience for them,” said Brown. “They learned it is a different game at the senior level.”
Brown has a deep rotation with 10 players capable of seeing significant floor time. The highlight of Palmer’s schedule is a trip to Los Angeles over the holiday break.
“The strength of this group is just their basketball IQ,” added Brown. “They have played so much basketball. They live it and breath it.”
■ Hugh Boyd Trojans (AA)
The Trojans were much better than their 1-9 record a year ago suggests, losing a number of close games that kept them out of the city playoffs.
Head coach Norm Schultz has a solid group of returning players that were among the city’s best at the junior level two years ago. Combined with some promising Grade 11s, the Trojans have the ingredients to be much improved this season.
