McMath Wildcats have taken their season to B.C. high school girls basketball’s greatest stage.
For the first-time in school history, the Wildcats have advanced to the provincial final after a 72-52 win on Friday night over the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers. McMath will now face defending champion Brookswood on Saturday in a match-up between the No. 2 and No. 1 ranked teams respectively. Tip-off is 5 p.m. at the Langley Events Centre.
The Wildcats also become the first Richmond senior girls basketball team to reach a B.C. final since the 1990s.
“The whole season we have been calling ourselves the ‘Saturday Night Girls.’ Just to make it (to that game) is a real big accomplishment,” beamed standout Grade 12 guard Jessica Jones. "We are very excited to get this opportunity and, win or lose, we will be ending our season on a high note.”
For Anne Gillrie-Carre, this will be her first time coaching in a championship game since leading the Steveston Packers to the 1993 title. The legendary coach also guided South Delta to a third place finish back in 2005.
“This is so huge for these kids,” said Gillrie-Carre. “I told them in the history of this school, nobody has ever done this before. They were focused on a goal and worked so hard to get there. They deserve every opportunity they are getting.
“I’m just a bit hesitant about tomorrow because I also know the emotional part after the game, win or lose (knowing it’s going to be the last game). It’s going to be hard.”
The Wildcats defeated No. 3 Tweedsmuir for the fourth time this season, breaking a tight game open with back-to-back threes in the final minute of the third quarter from Lyric Custodio and Jones, before pulling away in the final 10 minutes.
“We knew as coaches, how difficult it is beating the same team four times in a row but we didn’t tell our players that. Instead, we told them it’s because we have more talent,” smiled co-coach Paul Jones.
Bobbi-Jo Colburn and Jones led the Wildcats with 25 points each.
