A 25-game win streak and their best-ever finish in the Richmond Senior Boys Basketball League. Yet, the top 10 ranked McNair Marlins were not even a lock to get out of the first round at this week’s city championships at Burnett secondary.
McNair head coach Jessy Dhillon has done an impressive job rebuilding the boys basketball program and wants nothing more than to bring the first-ever Richmond senior boys hoop championship banner to his former school.
“It would be awesome,” he smiled. “I live and breathe at this school. (Laughing) My friends tell me I’m here more now as a coach than I was as a student. We want to be cutting those nets down at the end.”
To do that, the Marlins must clear three significant hurdles thanks to a draw that also will determine seeding for the upcoming Lower Mainland playoffs.
McNair is part of a stacked AAA side that includes three teams in the provincial rankings.
The No. 7 Marlins (9-1) opened play Tuesday with a hard-fought 80-72 win over the honourable mention McRoberts Strikers (7-3). They now get to face the No. 2 ranked and unbeaten McMath Wildcats (10-0) in Wednesday’s semi-final (6:15 p.m.). The Wildcats also had their hands full, holding off the ever-improving Steveston-London Sharks (5-5) 84-83.
“I really feel the best three teams in Richmond are on the same side of the draw,” continued Dhillon. “Even when I was in high school, it was McMath we had to deal with in the semi-finals and we couldn’t get past them.
McNair has seemingly got better each week, thriving in a busier-than-usual schedule that has featured a number of tournament wins. They have been led by the outstanding play of seniors Kevin Yang and Owen Vint who both are consistent scoring threats from the perimeter and post respectively.
“The big thing for us has been chemistry. All five starters share the ball and there is no selfish players on this team,” added Dhillon. “I figured this year we would play more games and see what we got. We haven’t practised as much but that (game) experience has really helped.”
The Wildcats also enter the post-season with plenty of momentum, having won their own invitational a week ago, highlighted by victories over AAA No. 1 ranked Abbotsford and No. 3 Fleetwood Park.
McMath is one of just three teams that have won the Richmond League since its inception nearly 20 years ago. The other two battled it out in another opening round thriller Tuesday with the Richmond Colts slipping past the eight-time defending city champion RC Palmer Griffins 76-74.
If there is a “feel good” story of the season it has to be the upstart Cambie Crusaders. After a tough 1-8 regular season record a year ago, Chris Mattu’s team has bounced back in a big way.
The Crusaders not only produced a solid 6-4 record, they cracked the provincial rankings for the first time in recent memory, currently sitting eighth among AA size schools. They are expected to be the top seed at the Lower Mainland AA Tournament that offers two provincials berths.
“Our expectations going into the season was to beat our record from last year but obviously this has been the top of the cake,” said Mattu who has done an outstanding job after stepping away last season. We are hungry. We want the Richmond title. We want the Lower Mainland title and we want to go to provincials.”
Grade 12 guard Justin Dhillon drives the Cambie engine. The team has thrived despite a limited rotation that must avoid foul trouble. The Crusaders opened play Tuesday with an 80-61 win over the MacNeill Ravens to lock-up the No. 1 AA seed for Richmond. They now face Richmond High at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the other semi-final match-up.
“Justin is our heart and soul,” added Mattu. “He is everything you can ask for in a player and we have other guys who know their roles.
“I don’t see one clear cut favourite in Richmond. It hasn’t been that way for a while. It’s good.”
The final goes at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. All games take place at Burnett.
At the buzzer…
Led by Grade 10 standout guard Jon Mikhlin, add the Richmond Colts to the list of city teams that have enjoyed an impressive season. The Colts are already guaranteed a spot in the AAAA Lower Mainland playoffs but earning a provincial berth will be a tall order.
The AAAA rankings currently feature five Lower Mainland teams, including No. 1 Vancouver College, No. 4 Burnaby South, No. 6 Churchill and No. 10 Kitsilano. Only three will advance to the provincial tournament.
