Nash-era memories re-kindled as SMUS wins first senior varsity hoops title in near-25 years
St. Michaels University School Blue Jags players rejoice after B.C. Double A title victory Saturday in Langley over North Delta's Delview Raiders. (Gerry Kahrmann, PNG photo)
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LANGLEY — Almost 25 years after the greatest basketball player in Canadian history last wore its colours, St. Michaels University School has returned to the top of the B.C. high school basketball world.
Known as the Blue Devils when they last won the B.C. Triple A crown back in 1992 behind the MVP performance of Steve Nash, since re-named the Blue Jags, but referred to by everyone in the hoop community simply as SMUS, the Victoria school lived up to its No. 1 ranking Saturday by beating North Delta’s Delview Raiders 66-40 to claim the Telus B.C. senior boys Double A title at the Langley Events Centre.
Known for their defence-first attitude, the Blue Jags played maniacal on-ball defence throughout the four quarters against a Delview team which had scored 80-plus points against each of their first three opponents at the tournament.
When the Blue Jags’ Jason Scully slammed him the ball with 8:32 remaining, the team’s large contingent of supporters rose with a huge cheer as their team opened up what would be a 52-31 lead.
“I know this is the age of the three-point shot and all the dribble-drive stuff, but we got back to the staples of SMUS basketball and that is defence,” said head coach Ian Hyde-Lay of his Blue Jags, who were never pushed through the course of four clinically-complete victories at the provincial tournament. So impressive was SMUS that it won its games by an average margin of 38 points.
On Saturday, it was Scully who led the scoring parade for the winners, with 22 points and eight rebounds. Jake Wilmott added 10 points. Delview guard Wowie Untalan led his team with 15 points and five steals.
“It was back in January when we played Semiahmoo and we really got it handed to us, but ever since then we have really come together as a basketball team,” continued Hyde-Lay. “And this is a very special group of guys that I have coached for a long time. It was also a pretty special moment for me as a dad.”
Hyde-Lay was referring to his son Graeme, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win and was later named tournament MVP. Last season, SMUS lost to its crosstown rivals, the Lambrick Park Lions, in the B,C. championship game.
The Raiders made a miracle comeback in Friday’s Final Four semifinals in order to find their place in Saturday’s championship tilt.
Trailing league rival Southridge 79-76 lead with 8.9 seconds remaining, Delview called a time out, and upon resumption of play, Untalan pulled up from 35 feet and hit a three pointer to tie the score 79-79. Untalan then stole Southridge’s inbounds pass and gave his team an 81-79 win after sinking a lay-up with 4.4 seconds remaining.
SMUS, meanwhile, got 26 points from Hyde-Lay and 16 from Scully in a 67-34 win over West Vancouver’s Collingwood Cavaliers.
Known as the Blue Devils when they last won the B.C. Triple A crown back in 1992 behind the MVP performance of Steve Nash, since re-named the Blue Jags, but referred to by everyone in the hoop community simply as SMUS, the Victoria school lived up to its No. 1 ranking Saturday by beating North Delta’s Delview Raiders 66-40 to claim the Telus B.C. senior boys Double A title at the Langley Events Centre.
Known for their defence-first attitude, the Blue Jags played maniacal on-ball defence throughout the four quarters against a Delview team which had scored 80-plus points against each of their first three opponents at the tournament.
When the Blue Jags’ Jason Scully slammed him the ball with 8:32 remaining, the team’s large contingent of supporters rose with a huge cheer as their team opened up what would be a 52-31 lead.
“I know this is the age of the three-point shot and all the dribble-drive stuff, but we got back to the staples of SMUS basketball and that is defence,” said head coach Ian Hyde-Lay of his Blue Jags, who were never pushed through the course of four clinically-complete victories at the provincial tournament. So impressive was SMUS that it won its games by an average margin of 38 points.
On Saturday, it was Scully who led the scoring parade for the winners, with 22 points and eight rebounds. Jake Wilmott added 10 points. Delview guard Wowie Untalan led his team with 15 points and five steals.
“It was back in January when we played Semiahmoo and we really got it handed to us, but ever since then we have really come together as a basketball team,” continued Hyde-Lay. “And this is a very special group of guys that I have coached for a long time. It was also a pretty special moment for me as a dad.”
Hyde-Lay was referring to his son Graeme, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win and was later named tournament MVP. Last season, SMUS lost to its crosstown rivals, the Lambrick Park Lions, in the B,C. championship game.
The Raiders made a miracle comeback in Friday’s Final Four semifinals in order to find their place in Saturday’s championship tilt.
Trailing league rival Southridge 79-76 lead with 8.9 seconds remaining, Delview called a time out, and upon resumption of play, Untalan pulled up from 35 feet and hit a three pointer to tie the score 79-79. Untalan then stole Southridge’s inbounds pass and gave his team an 81-79 win after sinking a lay-up with 4.4 seconds remaining.
SMUS, meanwhile, got 26 points from Hyde-Lay and 16 from Scully in a 67-34 win over West Vancouver’s Collingwood Cavaliers.
