The clock struck midnight early in the third quarter for the Cinderella-esque MEI Eagles senior boys basketball team in the 3A championship title game on Saturday (March 9).
The Dover Bay Dolphins opened up a nine-point lead in the third and never trailed again to take down the Eagles 75-61 in front of a packed house inside the Langley Events Centre.
Tip-off between @meischools and Dover Bay in the @BC3ABoysBBall championship game. Packed house at @LangleyEvents pic.twitter.com/CZ9WM0DSno
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 10, 2024
MEI played the Dolphins tough in the first half and only trailed 32-29, but star forward Spencer Tatlock got in foul trouble early with three in the first two quarters.
Turnovers also proved costly for the Eagles, as they coughed the ball up 17 times to just nine for Dover Bay.
Tatlock managed to get dinged with only one foul in the second half and finished with a team-high 16 points (8/10 from the field) and six rebounds. Ben Brandsma added 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Lee contributed with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Nice work inside and the game is tied at 29 pic.twitter.com/tTWBOvsoJI
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 10, 2024
The Eagles had trouble stopping some of the Dolphins play down low, with Dover Bay bigs Oyama Crouch, Hudson Trood and Frank Linder all having strong games and causing match-up headaches. Crouch had 13 points and four rebounds, Trood had eight points and 12 boards and Linder had 22 points and 15 rebounds.
When the bigs weren’t going, guard Tarman Sandhu was drilling shots. He scored 22 points and collected steals. Three-point shooting was also a factor, as MEI made just one of 11 while the Dolphins made six of 28.
Dover Bay celebrates the win, congrats to them pic.twitter.com/6YkhfIR9p7
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) March 10, 2024
Eagles head coach Mike Lee gave credit to Dover Bay.
“In the moments we needed to turn it up, they turned it up a little bit more and they had a few more bounces go their way,” he said. “We had a couple of turnovers too.”
Lee praised Tatlock for his perseverance in coming back from an ankle injury suffered earlier this week and concussion issues that were causing him problems several weeks ago.
“He’s an actual warrior and an Abbotsdford stud,” he said. “He can hardly move right now. And the fact that he’s here and we’re here right now is a miracle and just a testament to heart of all these guys.”
Lee, who also coaches out of Abbotsford with the BC Bounce program, stated that this team is so special because he saw every player grow and develop through that program.
“I’ve known some of these kids since they’re six, seven or eight,” he said. “I’m very blessed to be able to be their coach. These are a fantastic group of human beings, definitely some future leaders.”
He said he originally wasn’t supposed to be the team’s head coach, but the previous coach had to leave the team for heart surgery and he stepped into the role in late-October. Lee said it was a year to remember for the Eagles.
1/3 A heartbreaking 75 - 61 loss tonight places us 2nd in BC. WHAT A RUN!!! SUPER proud of each of our players and many thanks to the COACHES and the AMAZING MEI COMMUNITY who packed the LEC!!! Congratulations Isaiah Lee & Spencer Tatlock, selected as 1st All-Stars. #wearemei 🦅 pic.twitter.com/rs5z12lkrt
— Vijay Manuel (@headofschools) March 10, 2024
The provincial final appearance marks the first time an MEI senior boys basketball team has made it to a title game since 1995. The last time MEI captured a senior boys title was 1970.
Tatlock and S. Lee were both named first team tournament all-stars.
“I’m just proud of these guys,” he said. “This was our goal to get here and we did it. It wasn’t the result we wanted but to be able to set a goal, go out and do the things you need to do to achieve it is amazing. I hope these guys never forget it.”
MEI defeated the North Delta Huskies with a memorable 67-66 overtime win on Thursday (March 7) and then took down the first-seeded St. Patrick Celtics 79-75 on Friday (March 8).
Meanwhie, the Yale Lions finished the 4A tournament on a high note by defeating the Burnaby South Rebels 88-77 in the fifth place game.
Yale’s Nylan Roberts had an outstanding game with 34 points, while Taige Roberts added 20 and Aaron Adams contributed with 18.
The fifth place result is a great showing for the Lions, who entered the tournament ranked eighth.
Bandits head coach and GM @Juliushoops was at the @bcschoolsports Boys Basketball final to present the first-ever boys Inspiring Bandits Award. 👏
— Vancouver Bandits (@vancitybandits) March 10, 2024
Congratulations to @RobertsNylan, a senior at Yale Secondary.
LEARN MORE ➡️ https://t.co/AlaKEWlwWd pic.twitter.com/bFWuYPZtiX
N. Roberts was named both a first team tournament all-star and also earned the Inspiring Bandits Award. The new annual award provides a scholarship and ongoing mentorship to a graduating student-athlete from the Vancouver Bandits.
Recipients of the award were chosen by a panel and are considered to be dedicated leaders on and off the court. The award description states that they exemplify what it means to be a committed member of a team, lead by example by inspiring their peers, excel on the court, and treat coaches, parents, officials and teammates with gratitude and respect.
Other tournament winners included: Saanich’s Spectrum Thunder (4A), West Vancouver’s Collingwood Cavaliers and Chilliwack’s Unity Christian Flames.