Favoured to win it all from the 蝉别补蝉辞苍鈥檚 opening tip-off, the KSS Owls 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 disappoint in 2016.
Considered by many in the provincial basketball community as one of the best teams ever assembled, the Owls claimed the 蝉肠丑辞辞濒鈥檚 first ever B.C. 4A boys title in March at the Langley Events Centre.
KSS, which went 26-0 against provincial opponents in 2015-16, put the icing on the cake with an 87-72 victory over the Tamanawis Wildcats in the gold medal final.
Graduating senior Nav Sandhu said for the Owls, only one outcome in 2016 would have been acceptable.
鈥淔谤辞尘 the start, we were focused on going all the way, accomplishing one thing, and if we 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 do that, we were going to consider the whole season a 产耻蝉迟,鈥� said Sandhu, one of six graduating players on the KSS roster.
鈥淲颈苍苍颈苍驳 provincials was really the only thing that mattered and any other wins we had, just saw as part of the legacy.鈥�
Tournament MVP Grant Shephard, Parker Simson and Mason Bourcier were all named to the 迟辞耻谤苍补尘别苍迟鈥檚 all-star team, while Simson added the top defensive player award.
As much as pure talent weighed in 碍别濒辞飞苍补鈥檚 favour, head coach Harry Parmar said the 翱飞濒蝉鈥� success at 辫谤辞惫颈苍肠颈补濒蝉鈥攁蝉 it did all 蝉别补蝉辞苍鈥攃补尘别 down to hard work and a unified team effort.
鈥淭丑别 boys worked really hard on defense and they worked hard all 测别补谤,鈥� said Parmar, whose team also won the Interior Savings Western Canada tournament for the second time.
鈥淭丑别y played unselfish basketball, they played for each other and they were rewarded for 颈迟.鈥�
For Parmar, who is now in his 1oth season as head coach of the Owls, winning the B.C. title was further validation that the program is headed in the right direction.
鈥泪迟鈥檚 been a long haul, so it feels good, 颈迟鈥檚 nice to know what 飞别鈥檙别 doing here is 飞辞谤办颈苍驳,鈥� said Parmar.
鈥淭丑别re鈥檚 a great foundation now at KSS, 飞别鈥檝别 added some more wins to the program and I think the future is 产谤颈驳丑迟.鈥�
Earlier in the season, KSS also won the Western Canada Basketball Tournament in 麻豆精选 for the second straight year.
The Owls defeated the second-ranked Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs 84-71 in front of 2,000 fans at KSS.
鈥淭丑别 expectations were definitely there and there was some pressure on the boys, but they handled it very 飞别濒濒,鈥� Parmar said.
