If you're looking for a reason to check out the Fraser Valley East AAA high school boys basketball playoff tournament this week, it's worth noting that the local league may be the strongest it's ever been.
You want elite teams? The Yale Lions and the Walnut Grove Gators of Langley are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the province, respectively.
The W.J. Mouat Hawks and the Sardis Falcons are also among the better teams in B.C. – they've both been ranked in the top 10 at different points, and they're currently honourable mentions.
Factor in a couple of squads good enough to engineer an upset on any given day in the MEI Eagles and the Abbotsford Senior Panthers, along with a fast-improving Robert Bateman Timberwolves squad, and this week's playoff tourney at Yale Secondary should be awfully entertaining.
"It's the best it's ever been, easily," Mouat coach Rich Ralston asserted, reflecting on the strength of the Fraser Valley East. "I would expect that in the 16-team Fraser Valleys (the double-knockout round), we'll have at least six teams, maybe seven."
Final league standings and a playoff tournament schedule are below.
FRASER VALLEY EAST STANDINGS
Abbotsford East Division
Yale 8-0
Sardis 6-2
Abby Senior 4-5
Robert Bateman 3-6
Chilliwack 0-8
Abbotsford West Division
Walnut Grove 8-0
W.J. Mouat 6-2
MEI 4-4
Maple Ridge 2-6
Westview 0-8
PLAYOFF TOURNEY SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Feb. 13
Game 1 6:00 p.m. Bateman vs Westview
Game 2 7:45 p.m. Maple Ridge vs Chilliwack
Thursday, Feb. 14
Game 3 3:00 p.m. Sardis vs MEI
Game 4 4:45 p.m. Walnut Grove vs WG1
Game 5 6:30 p.m. Mouat vs Abby Senior
Game 6 8:15 p.m. Yale vs WG2
Friday, Feb. 15
Game 7 3:00 LG3 vs LG4
Game 8 4:45 LG5 vs LG6
Game 9 6:30 WG4 vs WG3
Game 10 8:15 WG6 vs WG5
Saturday, Feb. 16
Game 11 3:00 LG7 vs LG8 (7th/8th)
Game 12 4:45 WG7 vs WG8 (5th/6th)
Game 13 6:30 LG9 vs LG10 (3d/4th)
Game 14 8:15 WG9 vs WG10 (1st/2nd)