Richmond Youth Basketball League’s U14 Racoons continued their tremendous rep season by capturing last weekend’s U14/U15 Girls Provincial Club Championships at the Langley Events Centre.
The event attracted nine teams — eight from Metro Vancouver and another from the Interior.
The Racoons’ roster features the following Grade 8 players that also enjoyed plenty of success in the high school season at their respective schools: Davian Tsang, Mina Chong, Anngrei Mariano, Francesca Trahan, Olivia Northrup, Kalia Fong, Grace Wallace, Sarah Dawson, Mary Win. Ella Hurst, Jasmine Leung and Kate Carkner.
Coached by Tim Carkner and Paul Teodosio, the Racoons overpowered the U14 Force 81-10 in their opening game. A Saturday morning encounter with the U15 New Heights saw the Racoons’ team speed and tough full court pressure allowed them to pull away for a 59-28 triumph.
The semi-finals later that evening featured outstanding perimeter shooting from Fong, Chong and Tsang as the RYBL side rallied for a 54-51 win against Fraser River #1.
Playing without four of their teammates, the team of eight Raccoons did what they’ve done all season long and took first place with a 59-53 win over Kelowna’s U15 Heat. Mariano led the way with three, 3-pointers.
“This special group of RYBL players has proven itself to be one of the top girls basketball teams in the province for the last two plus years,” said Carkner, a longtime volunteer coach with the organization. “We’re looking forward to our last tournament of the spring season this weekend in West Vancouver.”
