If it’s December that means there is basketball on the calendar.
Burnaby’s teams hit the hardwood with great anticipation, gearing up to battle for local bragging rights and possible provincial berths down the road.
With league contests beginning this week, most teams have had a handful of exhibition tests already, including the senior AAAA boys Burnaby South Rebels. At the Heritage Woods Kodiaks Klassic tournament, the No. 5-ranked Rebels rolled up a pair of victories – 84-40 over No. 8 Walnut Grove and 88-76 over Handsworth – before falling 86-67 to highly-ranked Alberta team Bishop O’Byrne in the semifinal.
The Rebels rebounded to capture third place, beating No. 7 Semiahmoo 90-69, with Baltej Sohal earning player of the game honours and a first all-star team award. Vince Sunga was selected to the second team.
At the same Klassic tourney, the AAA-ranked Byrne Creek Bulldogs faced some tough competition, falling 92-84 to St. George’s, topping AAAA-ranked Kelowna 78-69, before closing out with back-to-back losses to Kitsilano, 63-59, and Vancouver College, 94-85. Picking up a scholarship award at the Klassic was the Bulldogs’ Majok Deng.
Although they lost their opening game at the Fleetwood Park tournament, the AAA-unranked Alpha Aztecs began a winning streak, beating Port Moody 77-70 and Brookswood 64-53.
Also securing wins last week were the Cariboo Hill Chargers, who topped Cambie 71-64 at Gladstone’s Tip-Off tourney, and Burnaby Central, which beat Eric Hamber 67-59.
