The 2017 version of the Heritage Christian Saints senior boys basketball team has etched out a permanent place in school history.
On Saturday in Osoyoos, the Saints defeated the Kelowna Christian Knights 75-65 to become the first boys team ever at HCS to win an Okanagan Valley A title. Raymond Thompson-Barrett paced the attack for the winners with 24 points.
The victory also secured the Saints’ inaugural berth into the B.C. championship, March 8 to 11 inLangley.
Head coach Colton Tripke, who was also formerly a player at Heritage Christian, said winning thevalley title and qualifying for provincials for the first time is a significiant accomplishment.
“It’s exciting,” said Tripke, who coached at HSC for four years from 2008 to 2012, beforereturning this season. “It’s the first time for me as a coach, and it’s nice to see how far the school has come and how much basketball has progressed. It’s nice to see Heritage Christiangoing to provincials for the first time.”
The future also bodes well for the Knights whose core group consists Grade 11 players, with justone graduating senior on the roster.
Heritage Christian will be joined by Kelowna Christian as Okanagan reps at the provincialchampionship next week at the Langley Events Centre.
The valley champion Saints are: Matt Van Fleet, Colton St. Pierre, Joshua Weekes, IsaacOpuama, Ben Robideau, Timi Akindele, Raymond Thompson-Barrett, Isaiah Akurienne, LukasOrd, Samuel Bell, Jordan Nenasheff, Mark Bell and Valeri Bajer.
The coaches are Colton Tripke, Dave Hennes and Samuel Striker.