The high school boys’ basketball provincial championships started 78 years ago and dynasties over that time have been few and far between.
We’re talking about teams that have four- or five-year runs where they are in title contention and manage to come away with championship banners at least a couple of times over that span. We’re talking the best of the best.
Here’s our take on the dynasties of Quad A, which is the top tier in the province.
This year’s quartet of B.C. tournaments get going Wednesday, running simultaneously at the Langley Events Centre.
Saturday is championship day in the Arena at the LEC, starting with the Single A finale (12:30 p.m.); followed by Double A (2:45 p.m.); Triple A (5:15 p.m.); and Quad A (7:30 p.m.).
BURNABY SOUTH REBELS (2018-22)
The Rebels are the No. 7 seeds this year and open proceedings Wednesday by taking on the No. 10 Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers of Surrey in the Round of 16. They’re looking to add to a team history that includes a championship in 2018, a third-place in 2019 and then championships again in 2020 and 2022.
Keep in mind that the 2021 season was wiped out by COVID-19, and keep in mind, too, that the only team in top-tier tournament history to win three in a row was the 1950-52 Duke of Connaught side.
Burnaby South folks maintain they would have captured the banner in 2021 if the season had been contested, and they did have nine players eligible to return from the 2020 title-winners.
Coach Mike Bell has an 18-2 record at the provincials, which is the best win percentage (.900) for any bench boss in tournament history with 15 or more games.
The three titles also give Burnaby South five for its tournament history, which has the Rebels in a four-way tie for tops overall, along with the Oak Bay Bays, Vancouver College Fighting Irish and the Richmond Colts.
WHITE ROCK CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WARRIORS (1999-2005)
WRCA’s all-time record of 42-14 is the best mark in tournament history for any team with 50 or more games played, and much of that came during a stretch that started with a championship in 1999, followed by a second in 2001, a third in 2002, a championship in 2003, a third in 2004 and another championship in 2005.
RICHMOND COLTS (1985-91)
The Colts repeated as champs in 1987 and 1988, and that second team is considered by many to be the best ever. Richmond also won it all in 1985, came in second in 1990 and won it again in 1991.
Bill Disbrow guided those Colt teams. He also coached Vancouver College and St. George’s Saints teams and his 69 career wins is the most by any coach in tournament history.
OAK BAY BAYS (1973-78)
The Vancouver Island team went back-to-back in 1973 and ’74, finished fourth in 1975 and second in 1976, and then won again in 1977 before placing second in 1978.
Oak Bay had another solid run just before that, with a championship in 1965, a second in 1966, another championship in 1968 and a second-place in 1969.
Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Ravens (1993-94), the Kitsilano Blue Demons (1996-97) and Kitsilano again (2001-02) are the other programs to win at least two championships in a row.
DUKE OF CONNAUGHT (1947-53)
The boys’ basketball provincials started out with an eight-team tournament at the New Westminster YMCA in 1946, and Vancouver College won the first banner, beating King George 25-21 in the final.
New West’s Duke of Connaught won in 1947, finished second in 1948 and then won championships in 1950, 1951 and 1952, before winding up second in 1953.
Their 15 straight game wins from 1950 to 1953 remains a tournament record.
Tournament founder Ken Wright coached at Duke of Connaught as well as at Vancouver College and Langley, and his 28-7 career record has him tied for second with North Delta’s Bill Edwards (16-4) for the best win percentage (.800) in tournament history, behind the aforementioned Bell (18-2, .900) of coaches with a minimum of 15 games.
Vancouver College won championships in 1946, 1949, 1957, 1960 and 1967, and have the most appearances (55), most placings (44) and most first all-stars (27) in tournament history. Oak Bay (19) and Richmond (18) are next best on the first all-stars’ list.
Vancouver College (10) and Richmond (10) have the most finals appearances, followed by Oak Bay (nine).
