The W.J. Mouat Hawks and the MEI Eagles have senior division basketball bragging rights for the next year after winning the boys and girls tournament finals respectively on Saturday (Dec. 11) night at Columbia Bible College.
The Hawks took down a gritty Robert Bateman Timberwolves club that jumped out to a 20-10 lead early and were up 27-18 after the first. Mouat took over in the second quarter and exited the first half up 44-41.
Bateman’s hot start was led by the sweet shooting of guard Jake Davenport, who had 19 points including five three pointers in the first half. Mouat had strong first half play from sharpshooters Gurkaran Bahga and Armaan Sandhu, who had 16 and 19 points apiece.
.@RobertBatemanSS and @WJMouat squaring off in the @AbbyPoliceDept City Tournament senior boys final. Game now underway - pic.twitter.com/wC1Ppro7p5
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) December 12, 2021
The second half was all Hawks, as they went up 63-52 after three and cruised to a 75-62 win. Sandhu was named the Hawks player of the game, while Bateman’s player of the game was Josh Vandevelde.
It’s the first senior boys title for Mouat since 2018 and was Bateman’s first-ever appearance in the senior boys final.
The senior girls bracket saw the MEI Eagles defeat the Yale Lions to earn the title for the first time since 2013.
The two teams traded leads for much of the first half, with Yale up 19-16 after one and up 36-33 at the half. However, MEI took over the game in the third quarter and went on a 16-0 run to start the second half.
Tip-off here at @ColumbiaBibleCo for the @AbbyPoliceDept City tournament senior girls final between @YaleSecondary and @meischools (someone also really likes @KingRicochet’s theme music 😆) pic.twitter.com/lgT3qa1hVu
— Ben Lypka (@BenLypka) December 12, 2021
The Lions cut the lead to seven points on a couple of occasions, but could not fight back. Foul issues also plagued the team with star Maggy Curtis fouling out. MEI went on to win the game 76-66. Jay Hildenbrand, who put the Lions on her back in the fourth quarter, was named Yale’s player of the game. MEI’s Jazmin Avila took home player of the game honours for the Eagles.
MEI also took home the junior boys title, with the Eagles defeating Yale 71-61. Players of the game were Ben Brandsma for MEI and Isaiah Falk for Yale.
Yale earned the junior girls title with a 49-33 win over MEI. Players of the game were Ava Heppner (Yale) and Olivia Sidhu (MEI).
The Abbotsford Christian School Knights took home both the Grade 9 girls and Grade 8 boys division titles. ACS beat the St. John Brebeuf Bears 36-28 for the Grade 9 girls crown and beat the Abbotsford Middle Huskies 77-59 in the Grade 8 boys title game. Players of the game included: Miriam Atsma and Luke Letourneau (ACS), Charley Buckle (SJB) and Ishaan Dhaliwal (Abby Middle).
The Abbotsford Panthers are the Grade 9 boys champions after edging Mouat 59-56. Players of the game were Rajan Sandhu (Abbotsford) and Marek Guynup (Mouat).
The W.A. Fraser Falcons picked up the Grade 8 girls title with a 37-23 win over MEI. Players of the game were Monica Deneter (Fraser) and Ruby Thonrton (MEI).
For full results from the tournament, visit abbypdbasketball.com.
