History was made on Saturday night.
In front of a full-capacity crowd on the centre court at Langley Events Centre on Saturday (March 2), the Seaquam girls’ basketball team secured a championship win over Riverside Rapids. It was a tight 79-73 final score at the 2024 BC School Sports 4A Girls Basketball Provincial Championships.
It was the first championship title for Seaquam, and the first girls’ championship title in North Delta’s history. It marked an achievement for the North Delta team, echoing their previous success at the Junior Girls Basketball Invitational Tournament two years prior.
Seaquam coach Lucky Toor recognized a lack of momentum leading up to the third quarter and got the team to regroup, refocus and hit the court running. The strategy was a good one, as the Seahawks drove forward for 31 points.
“Staying in the moment was the clincher. We thought the game was getting away from us. Keeping them positive and staying in — it was only a matter of time before one or two shots dropped for us.” Coach Toor said.
Camryn Tait led Seaquam’s offensive charge with 16 first-half points, ultimately contributing 20 points to the team’s victory alongside Mackenzie Henderson, who was named Championship Player of the Game. Sydney Roufousse added 14 points, with Syra Toor chipping in 10, showcasing the Seahawks’ balanced scoring prowess.
This championship clash marked the third encounter of the season between Seaquam and Riverside, with Seaquam emerging victorious twice, including a previous showdown at the Tsumura Basketball Invitational finals in December at Langley Events Centre.
Toor utilized video from the game to aid in his preparation for the championship final on Saturday. “I dedicated considerable time (watching) the TBI final twice and analyzing six hours of games. I aimed to discern any patterns or tendencies that could give me an edge at the beginning of the game,” he explained.
The future looks bright for basketball at Seaquam Secondary, as every player who played in Saturday’s championship game was in grade 10 or 11. No grade 12s played, and most existing players will return for the 2024-2025 season.
