2017 BC High School Boys Allstar Weekend

On Saturday, the annual BC High School Boys All Star Game was hosted at R.C. Palmer. This year the game was brought down to a high school gym instead of the Langley Events Centre who have hosted it for the last few years. With the smaller gym, the gym at R.C. Palmer was fairly packed. 

The Allstar day consisted of the 3 Point Contest, Dunk Contest and two Allstar Games. The Allstar game was divided up into two games where the top players from each tier plays each other. The first game was the 1A vs 2A following the 3A vs 4A shortly after the 3PT Contest and Dunk Contest Finals between the two games. 

1A VS 2A

The 2A All-Stars came out guns blazing, opening up the game on a 2 to 20 run. Even with some great shot opportunities the 1A All-Stars couldn't find the bottom of the rim. Cambie’s Zak Hassan put on a show as he put 18 points in the first half.

Once the second quarter opened up, the players seemed to settle in as 1A team got into rhythm offensively eventually ending the first half down 31 to 64

King George stand out, Yoel Teclehaimanot, wasn't hesitant to shoot and hit all the way from NBA range. After all, it is an All-Star game - and what's an All-Star game without pulls from way beyond the arc and athletic plays above the rim? While the 2A team was providing the 3-pointers, 1A team member and versatile, Francis Obeta from Ron Pettigrew Christian School was providing the impressive athletic plays. Francis kept his squad in the game by slowing down the opponent’s offensive storm, coming up with multiple defensive stops and a few smooth finishes of his own.

Regardless of a solid effort from the 1A All-Stars, they found themselves in a tough position beginning of the final frame with the score at 49 - 84. Unable to find an answer. Zach Hassan finished as the top scorer and player of the game with 31 points. Even without the top players from the island the Double A’s (Missing Players from: Brentwood College 2A Champions, St.Michael’s University 2A Runner up, Lambrick Park) finished the game topping the Single A team 106-77. 

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Top Scorers 1A vs 2A: 

Double A:

Zak Hassan - H.J. Cambie - 31 Points - Player of the Game 

Michael Kelly - St.Thomas Aquinas - 16 Points

Yoel Techlehaimanot - King George - 14 Points

Josh Blas - Pacific Academy - 10 Points 

Kyle Guerrero  - King George - 9 Points

Single A: 

Francis Obera - Ron Pettigrew - 14 Points 

Cody Dowell - B.C. Christian Academy - 13 Points

Levi Leyenhorst - Credo Christian - 12 Points 

Jackson Katler - Kelowna Christian - 9 Points

Tony Liu - West Point Grey Academy - 9 Points

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3 Point Contest / Dunk Contest

Earlier in the day before the 1A vs 2A match up the preliminary rounds of the 3 Point Contest and Dunk Contest took place. Both in the 3 Point Contest and Dunk Contest, players were able to sign up and participate in the contest. For the 3 Point Contest, the format was 5 shots from 5 spots around the arch. The Top 8 Players will advance to the Finals which a tournament style bracket of the same shots take place. In the Dunk Contest each dunker 3 dunks. Each player has 30 seconds to complete a dunk. 

In the Final 8 of the 3 Point Contest, Kyle Guerrero - King George, Ty Rowelll - Walnut Grove, Aman Dhillon - Rick Hansen, Michael Kelly - St. Thomas Aquinas, Kyle Alveinto - Sir Charles Tupper, Yoel Teclehaimanot - King George, Carter Martins - Kelowna Christian, and Steven Ang from R.C. Palmer made it to the Final 8. Out of the Final 8. Kyle Guerrero, Michael Kelly, Ty Rowell, Aman Dhillon Made it on to the Final 4. During the final four battle between Kyle and Michael they tied it up 4 times before Michael advanced to the Final against Aman Dhillon! In the Final, Aman Dhillon of Rick Hansen took home the 2017 3 Point Contest Champion. 

The Finals of the Dunk Contest featured Michael Chany - Gladstone, Kiante Knight - Killarney and Nathan Bromige - Lord Byng. The 2017 Dunk Contest Champion was Kiante Knight closing out the dunk contest with an assist off the glass from Mason Bourcier - Kelowna. 

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Award of Merit

Right before the 3A vs 4A Allstar match up, BC High School Boys Basketball Association President, Paul Eberhart had a few words and an award presentation. The Award was for Rich Goulet who is the head coach at Pitt Meadows Secondary School. Over the last 4 Decades he has organized the Allstar Game every year. Because he was the main organizer he was never able to coach for the teams in the allstar game. This year he was able to be coach the 4A squad in the 2017 BC High School Boys Allstar Game. Coach Goulet was presented with an Award of Merit for the decades of dedication he had to help host the allstar game every year. Congratulations and Thank you to Coach Rich Goulet for all your hard work! 

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3A VS 4A

Needless to say there was a lot of athleticism in the building for this 3A - 4A matchup. Warm up was a dunk contest in itself. With the 4A team featuring 3 Walnut Grove players in the starting lineup the chemistry was clearly there for them early. Regardless of opposing team chemistry, the 3A All-Stars broke out to a 20 to 6 early lead. Simply put, They couldn't miss. Whether it was St.Thomas More’s Cameron Morris, Rick Hansen's Josh Dhillon or Byrne Creek’s Abdul Bangura pulling the trigger, everything was working from long distance in the early going for the 3A All-Stars.

The 4A team played their cards well and took advantage of their size and physicality inside. A planned the seemed to convert often. The only problem being, 3 is worth more than 2.

One thing led to the next, the 3A squad never cooled down and before we knew it, the 3A All-Stars had a 12 point lead heading into the 2nd period.

Opening up the 2nd half was 3A Provinal MVP Josh Dhillons shifty handle and quick feet breaking in the full court. Making defenders look silly as they tried to pick him up the whole way down. As momentum started to swing, Walnut Grove’s Jake Cowley fought back with two emphatic dunks off of assists from his Walnut teammate Ty Rowell, just like that, life was sparked back into his team

Rolling into the third, the 4A team inched their way back into the game. Cutting the lead from 20 to 15, and then single digits by the start of the 4th quarter. Nearly every play of this hard fought comeback was either scored or assisted by a Walnut Gator as they refused to lay down to the still red hot 3A All-Stars

The 4A coach Rich Goulet urges defence from the bench as every three by his team was matched by a bucket at the other end. With three minutes to go in the game; 3A All-Stars 87, 4A All-Stars 80.

A behind the back, between the legs assist from Kitsilano’s Luka Lizdek to Gator’s Ty Rowell at the 3 point arch cuts the lead to a two position game within the two minute mark. Although it ultimately wasn't enough as 3A beats 4A 103 - 98 in a hard fought and entertaining All-Star game.

A huge thank you to Paul Eberhardt and Rich Goulet for continuing to put in the extra man hours to make this event possible each year. This events continues to grow and unify the players within the province with every year it is held. I think we speak for all players, fans, coaches and members of the media in extending this thank you.

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Top Scorers 3A vs 4A:

Triple A:

Josh Dhillon - Rich Hansen - 19 Points - Player of the Game

Joseph Peter-Hannon - Windsor - 19 Points

Anders Cederberg - Nanaimo - 17 Points

Cameron Morris - St. Thomas More - 16 Points

Nathan Bromige - Lord Byng - 9 Points

Four A:

Ty Rowell - Walnut Grove - 28 Points 

Luka Lizdek - Kitsilano - 11 Points 

Kenan Hadzovic - W.J. Mouat - 10 Points 

Mason Bourcier - Kelowna - 10 Points

Andrew Goertzen - Walnut Grove - 10 Points 

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