Playoffs means a pay-off for many teams.
The Byrne Creek Bulldogs are
eager to turn the page and put their momentum to use in the Burnaby-New West playoffs.
The senior boys basketball squad wrapped up the regular season with Monday’s 95-59 victory over the Burnaby North Vikings to cap a 7-0 record.
The Bulldogs held a comfortable lead most of the night, up 56-23 at halftime. Grade 10 guard Bithow Wan dropped nine treys and finished with 29 points, while Abdul Bangura counted 22 points.
Currently ranked 10th in B.C.’s Triple-A circuit, Byrne Creek intends to spend the coming days preparing and improving prior to the start of the playoffs (Feb. 6).
“I think everyone is a little banged up, we’ve got a bruised thumb, but its part and parcel with a season that’s 30-plus games,” said coach Bal Dhillon. “Did we look good at times during this run? Absolutely. Do we need to play better to keep it going? Definitely.”
The league playoffs kick off Monday with the quarter-finals, featuring No. 4 Burnaby North playing No. 5 Burnaby Mountain at 5:15 p.m., followed by No. 3 New West facing No. 6 Moscrop at 6:45 p.m., both at New West.
A day later, No. 2 Burnaby South plays the New West/Moscrop winner at 5:15 p.m., and Byrne Creek squares off against the winner of North/Mountain at 6:45 p.m., at Byrne Creek.
The finals are slated for Thursday, 5:15 p.m. at Byrne Creek.
In senior girls action, the New Westminster Hyacks clinched the regular season title by besting the Burnaby Mountain Lions 65-23 on Monday.
Grade 11 guard Sarah Forgie
counted 20 points in the first half, as New West built up a 46-14 lead. The game also settled who would host the playoff final.
Contributing 11 points in the win was Jamie Butts, while Natalie Nastase and Milanna Obrovac tallied 10 points each.
Burnaby Mountain, which finished second at 6-1, got 11 points from Grade 9 guard Sophia Vivero and seven points from senior Martina Pettenon.
In other action, the Cariboo Hill Chargers topped Alpha 62-26, and the Burnaby Central Wildcats edged the Moscrop Panthers 53-47, locking up third place heading into the playoffs.
While Cariboo Hill, Moscrop and Burnaby South all ended up with equal 3-4 records, the Chargers took fourth spot based on a thrilling 72-63 overtime decision last week over the Panthers.
Next week’s playoffs start Feb. 6 when No. 5-seed Moscrop plays No. 4 Cariboo Hill at 5:15 p.m., and sixth-place Burnaby South faces Burnaby Central at 6:45 p.m., both at Burnaby Central.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A paragraph that appeared in the newsprint copy of the story has been excised from the web version because it was incorrect. The NOW apologizes for the mistake.
