The gala dinner may have been held in Langley on April 21, but Burnaby had its share of big winners at the 10th annual Basketball B.C. Hall of Fame and Awards dinner at the Langley Events Centre.
Burnaby resident Jenna Ralston was voted college female player of the year for her efforts playing forward for Capilano University.
SFU student Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe of SFU was voted B.C. university female athlete of the year while another former SFU student, Katie Miyazaki, was voted best university female playing outside of B.C.
Another Burnaby product, Alisha Roberts of York House, finished a runner-up to Emma Wolfram of South Kamloops for best high school girls player of the year. The other female winner was Cassandra Brown of the University of Portland for best North American university female player.
Other award winners included Braxston Bunce as best high school boys player; Jacob Thom of Vancouver Island University in the college male category; Ryan McKinnon of UVic in the B.C. university male category; Phil Scrubb of Carleton University for best university male outside of B.C.; and Robert Sacre of Gonzaga University in Washington State for best North American university male.
The team of the year was the 2012 UBC Thunderbirds women's team, which won the CanadaWest title and finished second in the CIS finals.
The six Basketball B.C. hall of fame inductees also had a distinctly Burnaby flavour.
Rich Goulet of Pitt Meadows and Bruce Langford of SFU were both inducted as coaches. Goulet started his career at St. Thomas More before going to Pitt Meadows and he has such fond memories of STM that he attended the April 20 farewell celebrations to the STM gym.
Langford had a distinguished high school coaching career in the Fraser Valley before going to SFU, where it was an opportunity of a lifetime to coach a team that included daughter Dani.
"I just wanted not to screw it up too badly," said Langford of the team he has taken to multiple titles.
Langford has been instrumental in raising the profile of the women's game and asked attendees one favour.
"The biggest compliment you can pay is to come and see these young ladies play," said Langford.
Burnaby RCMP Staff Sgt.-Major John Buis was inducted as a builder for his almost four decades of involvement in the sport.
Buis thanked his family and two mentors, Stan Stewardson and Ken Winslade for helping him in his basketball endeavours.
"Basketball is a team game and teamwork is essential to any success in the sport," said Buis. "I have been fortunate that it has been through the assistance of many people on my 'life team' that I am here accepting this honour."
Also inducted into the hall of fame was builder Dan Miscisco, player Tracie McAra (Sibbald) and the 1972-73 UBC Thunderbirds women's team.
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