The Brookswood Bobcats found themselves in uncharted territory.
Coming off a seventh-place finish over the weekend at the Fraser Valley championships, the senior girls basketball team faced a wild-card qualifying game in hopes of securing a spot at the B.C. senior girls AAA provincial championships.
The 鈥機ats have played in the past eight provincial championship tournaments 鈥� and have won three gold, a silver and a bronze in the past five championships 鈥� and have been a part of 17 of the past 18 tournaments.
So chances are, when the tournament happens, Brookswood is a participant.
鈥淚 was saying to the girls, I can鈥檛 ever remember being in a wild-card (game),鈥� said Brookswood coach Chris Veale, who has long been involved in the 鈥機ats program either as a head or assistant coach.
鈥淭he motto we have always had at provincials is 鈥榮urvive and advance,鈥欌�� Veale said.
So being in the unfamiliar position of facing a win-or-go-home wild-card game just to qualify for provincials, was just an extension of that philosophy.
鈥淲e looked at the game as really our first game of provincials,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was literally survive and advance or go home and that is the approach we had.鈥�
The 鈥機ats faced the Handsworth Royals in the qualifier game at Riverside Secondary on Feb. 20.
The Royals took a five-point lead into halftime as Brookswood鈥檚 vaunted offence 鈥� they typically average 85 points per game 鈥� was struggling.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if the girls were nervous or we were a little off, but in the second half, we got (things) going,鈥� Veale said. 鈥淭hey knew what was at stake.
The Bobcats allowed just 17 points in the second half and their offence found its game, pulling away with a 71-37 victory.
Brookswood found themselves in this position after suffering a 68-66 loss to Yale on day four of the Fraser Valleys.
The 鈥機ats were seeded fifth for the Fraser Valley tournament and after opening with a 91-65 win over No. 12 Panorama Ridge, they lost 68-54 to No. 4 Semiahmoo in the quarter-finals.
Facing a do-or-die game in round, three, Brookswood survived with a 79-71 win over the Bateman Timberwolves. The No. 8 Yale Lions then edged the 鈥機ats 68-66. Brookswood finished seventh after a 64-56 win over No. 3 Heritage Woods.
Brookswood is seeded 13th for the provincial championships, which run Feb. 28 to March 3 at the 黑马磁力 Events Centre. They open against No. 4 Oak Bay.
What makes this year鈥檚 tournament exciting is the fact there are multiple teams who have a shot at winning gold.
鈥淚 think if we play well, we have a shot,鈥� Veale said.
sports@langleytimes.com
Like us on and follow us on
