The Byrne Creek Bulldogs finished the BurWest high school boys' basketball regular season in first place with a perfect 8-0 record.
The provincial honourable mention Bulldogs showed a little more depth off the bench and a tad more grit in a 65-44 victory over the Burnaby South Rebels in the final league games for both schools in the Friday matchup at South.
The win gave Byrne Creek hosting rights for this week's playoff hoop finals, which begin today.
With its third-place finish, Burnaby South will host the quarter-final playdowns on Tuesday between Burnaby Central, Burnaby North and Burnaby Mountain, beginning at 5: 15 p.m.
In the final league game, Byrne Creek raced out to a 10-2 start and held the lead throughout the remaining 40 minutes against South, which was missing senior post Nick Irvine from the lineup.
"Yeah, it (the score) would have been different I think," said Byrne Creek high scorer Kennedy George, with Irvine in the lineup. "I'm sure we're going to see them (South) in the final. It will be a closer game."
George was not far off a tripledouble for the Bulldogs, scoring a game-high 14 points, while nabbing 10 rebounds and committing seven steals in the game.
Jado Lado and David Majstorovic both contributed six points in a runaway 23-8 third quarter for the 'Dogs, finishing with a dozen points apiece.
Quentin Nguyen netted nine points to lead all South shooters.
The Bulldog bench outpointed South 21-15 in the afternoon contest.
"We were fortunate we had a little more depth tonight," said Byrne Creek head coach Wayne Best.
Byrne led 18-8 at the end of the first quarter, but South, behind some hot three-point shooting, reduced the deficit at half time to just six points.
Gino Pagbilao launched a pair of back-to-back bombs early in the second quarter. Nguyen and Andrew Yang, with a five-point effort to end the period, also nailed a three.
But it wasn't enough against Byrne's strength off the bench and tenacious defence that committed 18 thefts in the game.
"We just didn't get open in the second half," said Pagbilao. "They were playing good defence."
Grade 11 forward Dejan Posavljak had a strong outing for South, scoring seven points, while adding eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
With Irvine back in the lineup, Best expects a much closer contest.
"When we see them again, it will be a completely different story," Best said.
On Wednesday, BNW runner-up New Westminster Hyacks will play the winner of South and North at 5: 15 p.m.
Following the earlier game, Byrne Creek will host the winner of Central and Mountain.
The district boys' final placement games will be held on Thursday, also at Byrne Creek. Game times are 5: 15 and the final is at 6: 45 p.m.
