The third time proved to be the charm for the Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School Eagles Senior Boys basketball team this past weekend.
For the first time since they founded the South Cariboo Winter Classic three years ago, the Eagles took the top spot in their home tournament hoisting its trophy high overhead. It's a result that senior boys head coach Andrew Steeves said he and the team have been working towards for years.
"We actually bought a tournament trophy this year which is an idea I got from a tournament in Barriere. They have a legacy there as to who has won it year after year," Steeves remarked. "I hope that helps cement the South Cariboo Winter Classic in PSO's history."
Steeves, who organized the tournament with fellow coaches TJ Grabowiecki and Willey Hollet, said they had five teams compete in the tournament this year. While one team dropped out last minute Steeves remarked he was able to split PSO's team in two to play six games against the Whistler Secondary School Storm, the Pemberton Secondary School Devils, the Lake City Secondary School Falcons and Fort St. James Secondary School Falcons.
He noted this was the first time Pemberton, Whistler and Fort St. James had taken part in the tournament, adding he was happy to expand its footprint. Steeves also introduced a skills competition this year to the tournament to help encourage camaraderie between the teams.
"We want 5-1 on the weekend. The Senior Boys got split for the first game of the tournament as well so I don't know how you add that up in the win/loss column," Steeves said. "That was a really exciting game between the two teams. The Green Team beat the White Team by two points and it came right down to the last 30 seconds of the game. I think the guys really enjoyed playing against each other."
The Eagles beat the Fort St. James Falcons by a comfortable 20-point lead winning 76 to 56. It was an intense and hard-fought game, which Steeves said was a team effort. Steeves noted he was happy with the intensity of his team and how well they played together.
"This is the first time we've won first in our tournament so I think that was really exciting for a lot of the guys who have been on the team for the last couple of years," Steeves said. "It was very fitting in a sense that we have this trophy that signifies the tournament now."
Meanwhile, the Pemberton Devils beat out the LCSS Falcons in the semi-finals to claim third place, with the Whistler Storm finishing in fifth.
While Steeves said he could heap praise on every member of his team, a few players did stand out. Grade 12 player Kolby Heit brought a strong defensive and offensive presence throughout the weekend and was an effective guard. Steeves said he could see the maturity in Heit's basketball game.
Newcomer Anderson Koch, meanwhile, was also another standout all weekend long. Koch made several key shots and buckets in multiple games, with Steeves remarking he's looking forward to seeing how this Grade 10 player's skills evolve in the coming years.
"The nice thing about the weekend is we did get to dress, at different times, all 14 players who are on the senior boys team. They all got into games and were able to contribute and that's just a testament to our basketball program at PSO and the guy's work ethic and willingness to show up on a week-by-week basis, and work hard," Steeves remarked. "I think that hard work is now paying off."
Steeves said that this win marks the third time this season they've claimed first place in a basketball tournament. He is already looking ahead to their next tournament in Prince George Feb. 14 to Feb. 15 which will be a preview of zones from Feb. 20 to 22 also in Prince George. Steeves said his team plans to play as hard as they can to win zones and go on to represent the north at provincials.
"We kind of knew this team this year was going to be special. There are a lot of guys who have been playing with us for quite a few years now and understand the style of play we want to play in," Steeves said. "The results speak for themselves, at this point in time."
