In the end, a final loss won't scuffle a winning experience.
The Cariboo Hill Chargers came together and pushed the envelope, doing what underdogs often do.
Although the season came to a halt in their opening game of the 2-A senior boys Lower Mainland basketball tournament, the result wasn't as important as the effort and especially the experience gained.
McRoberts eliminated the Chargers with a tense 81-79 decision last week in a game where playing catchup was the entree and not a condiment.
McRoberts' top shooter cashed in 16 points in the first quarter, but Cariboo Hill coach Ken Swanson changed up the defence to put the brakes to that.
"We started slow, nervous," said Swanson. "(McRoberts') top player had 16 points in the first quarter. We adjusted and held him to five points the rest of the game. But we were in catchup mode, and finally, finally started playing intimidating defence at the end of the third."
It allowed the team, which for the first time in months had everyone in uniform, to throw it up and resulted in a 34-20 run for the Chargers.
With 11 seconds remaining and their two starting guards fouled out, Cariboo Hill's Harjap Dhaliwal fired a long trey attempt that just missed. He was fouled on the shot and got to the line for three throws. Missing the first and counting the second, Dhaliwal was forced to miss the third shot and get the rebound to tie the game, but McRoberts won the ball.
They got one last-ditch opportunity on an in-bound ball with two seconds on the clock, where Grade 12 Humza Shah took a shot from the corner that just missed.
Dhaliwal, a Grade 10 standout, tallied 21 points, six rebounds and two blocks on the night, while Grade 11 forward Ajay Virk scored 25 points, hauled down 12 rebounds and made six blocks.
Although the team's season line was 4-11, it featured a number of strong and gutsy efforts, played often with a six-or-seven player roster. They beat Cambie in a tournament early in the year, defeated Burnaby Mountain in a 57-54 thriller, and fell 64-59 to Burnaby Central in another league encounter.
All in all, Cariboo Hill made it a game, and can hang their hats on that.
