Skip to content

Stars returning for Hansen Alumni All-Star Game

Basketball talent from the past battling current Hurricanes on Dec. 18
14776699_web1_doerksen
Hansen 2005 grad Jacob Doerksen is one of the main stars returning to the school for its Alumni All-Star Game on Dec. 18.

A quarter century of high school basketball competition is set to be celebrated at the Rick Hansen Secondary Alumni All-Star Night on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Hurricanes players from the past tangle with some of the current players sporting the blue and gold, with boys and girls teams battling it out, as well as a three-point contest planned.

The event is a fundraiser for the school, with ticket-sale proceeds going to a scholarship for one Grade 12 boy and one Grade 12 girl.

Hansen teacher Jas Gill said, back in 2016, Hansen hosted a successful alumni basketball game, and the school is now planning on making the game an annual event with the goal of raising money for scholarships for students.

Gill said the 2018 game has a few minor changes, with alumni teams for both boys and girls, along with seniors- and-sophomores team. The seniors-and-sophomores teams will be made up of about five current players, along with 2016 and 2017 grads.

The announced men’s alumni roster includes: JD Dhaliwal (2013), DK Dhaliwal (2015), Jason Gill (2008), JB Khangura (2009), Harvie Sahota (2009), Tony Sahota (2009), Tony Dhaliwal (2005), Jacob Doerksen (2005), Matt Thiessen (2001), Ryan Anderson (2001), Yoshi Kasahara (2001), Pardeep Grewal (2001) and Sunny Grewal (2001).

Doerksen is one of the school’s more accomplished grads, having helped lead the Hurricanes to a top-10 finish in 2005. He dropped 54 points against Kitsilano in the AAA tournament that year, a total that still holds up as the second highest total in the history of the AAA event.

He went on to excel at both the University of Victoria, where he won the CIS rookie of the year and helped the Vikes to a silver medal in 2006, and then later with the TWU Spartans.

Doerksen is second place all-time in scoring and rebounding for TWU and, while at that school, was named Canada West player of the year in 2009.

Doerksen moved on to play professional basketball in Germany for several years.

The alumni roster takes on the sophomore/seniors team consisting of: Gurlal Mann (2018), Josh Dhillon (2017), Aman Dhillon (2017), Gurkirat Sohi (2017), Rohit Dhillon (2017), Ishvarjot Birk (2016), Manraj Benipal (2016), Ricky Kandola (2016), Joban Pandher (2016) and Gibson Robinson (2016).

The five current seniors on the team are: Gurkarn Mangat, Harjot Dhaliwal, Gautam Dhaliwal, Ravdeep Brar and Monty Gill.

The Dhillon boys were the nucleus of the 2017 AAA provincial championship team, and the 2016 grads helped lead Hansen to a bronze medal that year.

The men’s game tips off at 7:45 p.m., with the three-point contest getting underway at 7:15 p.m.

The event opens with the senior and sophomore girls against the female alumni at 6:15 p.m.

The alumni women’s roster features: Simran Sidhu (2016), Shubhreet Sandhu (2015), Jasmine Gill (2015), Sukhi Birk (2015), Revine Gill (2015), Daya Bhogal (2012), Tessa Parkins (2011), Maya Bhogal (2009) and Brianna Sarowa (2009).

That team takes on the seniors-and-sophomores team consisting of: Jaeda Chanthapathet (2018), Nisha Sidhu (2018), Ravneet Sidhu (2018), Janessa Dhaliwal (2017), Jasmeen Maghera (2017) and Parm Sidhu (2018).

Grade 12 students also on the team are: Tianna Chanthapathet, Lisa Khangura, Manmeet Bhandal, Balnoor Nahal, Anmol Dhindsa and Jashan Kaur.

All games will be two 25-minute halves and play traditional five-on-five basketball rules.

The night is also a celebration of 25 years of Hansen as a school.

Gill, a 2001 grad of the school himself, said the school continues to evolve.

“Twenty-five years is so important because I think Hansen’s growth shows just how much the west side has changed and grown,” he said, noting the school’s movement from a traditional school into one focusing more on science and business.

Tickets for the Alumni All-Star Game cost $5 and are available at the school’s office prior to the event and also at the gym on the day of the event.

In addition to the games, there will be prizes, food and a presence from the Fraser Valley Bandits professional basketball team.

The Alumni All-Star Game is also a precursor to the Hansen Senior Roundball tournament, which opens on Dec. 19.

That event features 16 of the best senior boys teams from across the province and wraps up on Dec. 21.

For more information on the school, visit rickhansen.abbyschools.ca.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
Read more