Three provincial tournament-bound teams in a hotly-contested battle for the 2022 city senior girls basketball championship.
It’s a scenario that has a good chance of unfolding thanks to a bumper crop of up-and-coming hoop talent at a trio of Richmond schools.
The McMath Wildcats are poised to continue their excellent run with a senior team loaded with young players and a juvenile squad that was third at the Grade 8 provincials last year.
The Steveston-London Sharks won the B.C. Grade 9 championship last spring and the entire squad has aged up to play senior this season.
Poised to join the mix are the Hugh Boyd Trojans who have defied the odds to be among the top juvenile teams in the province.
They opened the season with a third place finish at a tournament at Capilano College then were second at Burnaby South, highlighted by a come-from-behind win over Handsworth. A 4-0 start to league play includes a 34-27 win over defending champion McMath.
Their 10-player roster amazingly represents 25 percent of the school’s 36 Grade 9 female students.
Grade 8 standout Quincy Hinds, who played on the Richmond Youth Basketball League’s U13 provincial championship team last spring, along at the club level with VK Basketball, has also aged up.
Most of them also thrive on the soccer pitch with four being members of the U15 Richmond Strikers metro team that captured the Coastal “A” Cup last May.
They make it all possible thanks to their work ethic and dedication.
The girls are guided by three outside coaches — parent community coaches Eric Stolberg and Suzanne Tuazon-Cabido, along with parent coach Seleema Remtula.
“Boyd hasn’t been known for producing really good teams. We are trying to build on the quality of ladies here and give them the opportunity,” said Stolberg. “There was an open announcement about the team and these are the girls that showed up. No one is cut (at this school).”
The goal is to get to the Grade 9 Provincial Championships come March. Last year the Trojans came agonizingly one point short of the showcase tournament after falling 37-36 to Burnaby South in the Vancouver and District Championship.
The roster features two other players — Christina Sofikitis and Samantha Stolberg — who are also playing club ball.
Pushing the girls at practice is the opportunity to scrimmage against the school’s senior team that is also among the best in the city.
Parent coaches at least are aware of the potential conflicts with soccer and plan accordingly.
“A lot of us are soccer parents so we know their schedule and to adjust the practice times so they have fresh legs (for both sports),” explained Tuazon-Cabido. “But there are days where they go right from the gym (to the Boyd) soccer field and are here until 9 p.m.
“Practising with the senior team has been great. The girls are getting a chance to look up to their peers and learning moves off them as well. It’s become a great program.”
The potential senior rivalry with the Wildcats and Sharks would end in the city playoffs with Boyd’s school size taking them the 2A playoff route.
Whatever happens over the next couple of seasons, it will be 10 young girls determining their destiny.
“The credit goes to them and how they manage their time so well,” added Remulta. “They come out onto the court and put their heart and soul into it everytime.”
The rest of the Trojans roster features Janelle Tuazon-Cabido , Zoe Balback, Mahara Remtula, Yoki Chan, Jenna Gabriel, Chloe Lau and Sara Bursac who in her first year of organized basketball.
