If the list of high-profile teams lined up for the upcoming Abbotsford Collegiate Snowball Tournament is any indication, it's quite possible that the 52nd edition of the annual senior boys basketball extravaganza might be the best yet.
"This might be the deepest field we've ever had," asserted Prentice Lenz, head coach of the Abby Collegiate Panthers, whose team hosts the event Jan. 11-14. "It'll be some very exciting basketball."
Headlining the hoops showcase is St. Andrew's of Rhode Island. This marks the fifth year in a row that Snowball organizers are bringing in an elite American program, after importing teams from Alabama, Wisconsin, New York and California in previous years.
St. Andrew's boasts a star senior big man in 6'8" Cedric Kuakumensah, who has committed to Brown University. Sophomore Henry Bolton is also regarded as an elite prospect.
The Snowball field also features five of B.C.'s preseason top-10 AAA teams, including No. 1 Kelowna, No. 3 W.J. Mouat, No. 6 Kitsilano, No. 7 Burnaby South, and No. 9 St. George's.
Additionally, the Kelvin Clippers are making the trip out from Winnipeg to test themselves against B.C.'s best. Also in attendance are the G.W. Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack, the province's No. 2-ranked AA squad, along with a terrific cross-section of Abbotsford talent including the Yale Lions, the MEI Eagles and the host Panthers.
A full draw is posted below.
