The underdog Britannia Bruins senior girls showed Wednesday night they can compete with the best in B.C. when they battled the Windsor Dukes in the Dukes’ North Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»castle.
Though they didn’t take the crown at the buzzer, ending with a 60-44 loss, the Â鶹´«Ă˝Ół»city champion Bruins battled the whole night against the North Shore playoff champ Dukes in the semifinal of the 2014 Lower Mainland senior girls AA zone tournament.
A guaranteed spot at the provincials and advancement to the final battle for the Lower Mainland title was at stake.
Looking at the teams on paper the final score should have been much more lop-sided. The Dukes (6-2) are ranked number one in the province while the Bruins (6-1) were not ranked.
Though they were down seconds after the tip-off, the Bruins refused to roll over against the powerhouse Dukes but every time the Bruins got offensive momentum, the stronger, taller Dukes pushed back harder or shielded more fiercely.
Windsor was up 19 to 12 at the end of the first quarter.
The Bruins lost city tournament all-star Amanda Young early on. The Grade 12, three point shooter had to go out in the first quarter to rest and ice her knee that is still healing after a string of ACL surgeries.
Grade 10 shooting guard Julian Duong stepped up and was the dominant Bruin for the entire game, getting 32 points in total and all nine points the Bruins netted in the second quarter.
“It was really difficult for me the most because I am the top scorer and I was a really a really big threat, but some of my big shots didn’t go in, like three in a row and I got upset, but I tried picking myself up and I shot pretty good,” she said.
Windsor led 33 to 21 at the half.
Windsor’s point guard Sherry Errico was queen of the Windsor castle for the first three quarters with 25 points.
Naomi Morcilla, a Grade 12 point guard, was tasked with checking Errico.
“Sherry kept hitting the three or driving … my shot was not dropping. It was pretty frustrating for me, but I was pretty worn down because of Sherry,” said Morcilla, who was the most valuable player at the city championship
Windsor was ahead 53-33 at the end of the third quarter.
The Bruins were able to shut down Errico and the Dukes in the final quarter, the Bruins getting 11 points to 7 for the Duke, but the last quarter press wasn’t enough for the win.
Veteran Bruins head coach Mike Evans was philosophical about the loss.
“We knew we were going to play the number one team in the province and they certainly lived up to that reputation. We knew they outsized us,” he said.
“It seems like a big score, but I thought it was pretty good. Our kids played well, they didn’t quit, which is really, really good.”
Evans said this year’s AA tourney is the toughest in the province.
“I can’t remember there being a crazier, more competitive Lower Mainlands,” said Evans, who has been a basketball coach for over 30 years.
The Bruins won the AA Lower Mainland Zone playoffs last year and have a 2012 AA provincial championship banner.
Britannia still has a chance to make it into the provincials.
They played the province’s number two ranked St. Thomas More Collegiate of Burnaby after the Courier’s print deadline Thursday, for the Lower Mainland’s third spot.
The top three go directly to provincials.
They also have a chance to advance to the provincialsĚý in wild card play Monday.
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