By Sarah-Ann Wijngaarden
Despite the shot clock malfunctions and points to make up in the first quarter, Vancouver-Coastal A took the win against Vancouver Island-Central Coast on Day 2 of the BC Summer Games in Abbotsford.
With intensity from every player, though, it wasn’t an easy win.
At the end of the first quarter, the Vancouver Island-Central Coast squad was leading 12-7.
Coastal A coach Randy Coutts said his team usually averages “between 15 and 20” points in the first quarter, but that they “shot poorly” at the start.
By the end of the second quarter, the island-Central Coast team boosted its lead to 23-17.
But not for long.
Vancouver-Coastal A made a swift basket in the first 15 seconds of the third quarter. Nerves rose as the game progressed and Vancouver Island-Central Coast’s vocal coach was even shushed by audience members.
The boys in white had taken back the game, leading 28-24. Coutts said his team “only allowed one point in the third quarter” and called it the “changing point in the game.”
The tension remained in the fourth quarter and both teams played hard. But Vancouver-Coastal A won 44-33.
The team won first in their division and will go on to play against the second team in Pool B at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Coutts said his players will be working on their “foul shooting and running [their] sets a little bit more crisp” for the next game.