Vancouver, British Columbia - As we ring in 2021, its hard to believe we have not seen any High School or University basketball games since the middle of March in 2020, one week before the world 'locked down' with the emerging threat of the COVID-19 Pandemic. High school athletes would finish their Provincial Championships literally the week before, whereas the U Sports National Championships were cancelled. With extended lockdowns, gym and park closures, we wouldn't see any semblance of team play until early in the fall. Club programs gave athletes opportunities where they could with distanced practices and some even safely resumed closed circuit scrimmages. Then those were forced to stop with the new provincial restrictions announced in mid-November.
Yet as high school returned, and season tryout dates passed, and then winter break, high school athletes are left with just one question - will we play this season? While the writing appears to be on the wall, no official announcement appears to be an indicator that admin and organizers are holding onto any bit of hope they can. With dates for city and regional playoffs approaching fast, but a single game yet to be played (let alone tryouts held), we join athletes across the province in wondering - can a season be saved?
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