The Douglas College Royals are all about making their own luck these days.
Having suffered a few tough breaks to start the PacWest women's basketball season already, the squad is keeping its focus on the prize and hoping to build on last year's strong showing. Luck was just a small part of why they achieved what they did in 2017.
They aren’t about to let it play a big role – on the bad side of the ledger – this season.
Before the holiday break, the squad was right in the thick of it, tied with four teams for top spot. Splitting the opening two games of 2018 against one of their toughest rivals reminded the Royals that it is going to be a very challenging run as they look to defend their provincial title.
Douglas defeated the Camosun Chargers 65-53 last Friday, powered by an impressive 20-9 first quarter. Leading the way was Rachel Beauchamp with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Ellen Fallis contributed 13 points in part-time duty. Nanaya Miki chipped in 11 points and Sarah Jorgenson tallied 10 points and scooped up 12 boards in just 22 minutes of floor time.
A day later, Camosun turned the page and extracted a 79-64 decision on Royals turf, with an early lead again giving the eventual winner an important edge.
“I was really pleased (Friday), we came out with a lot of energy,” Douglas College coach Steve Beauchamp said. “(Camosun) had beaten us in November in their place. … I think the girls wanted to respond well and we certainly did. They came out with a lot of energy in that first quarter and I think that kind of set the tone for the game.
“Likewise, the following night Camosun came out with a bit of a vengeance.”
Camosun, Capilano University and Vancouver Island are all tied for first at 7-3, while the Royals sit in fourth place at 5-3 – with two games in hand on the leaders.
““It’s a really competitive league. Prior to Christmas we had a four-way tie for first and now it’s a three week tie for first. … We have to focus on what we can control, and that’s kind of the message. You’re going to have some tough games no matter who you play and you can’t take anybody for granted.”
After last year’s foray to the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championships, where the B.C. champions finished outside the top four, the goal was to build on that experience. Unfortunately, a couple of tough injuries have caused Beauchamp to change things on the fly to stay competitive in the tough B.C. circuit.
The team’s depth at guard took a severe hit in the first half of the season when second-year Naomi Vinluan, in the first exhibition game, and four-year veteran Karin Li, in that November game against Camosun, both suffered season-ending knee injuries.
There have been a couple of other injuries, including one to Fallis that has forced the keen six-foot guard from Gibsons into a more deliberate, selective role. But Beauchamp said the changes so far have not altered the expectations.
“Just knowing Ellen a little bit, she’d walk through a wall for you. We’re trying to get her the minutes that are going to help her contribute, but at the same time kind of build towards hopefully taking a bigger role as we head towards the back end of the season.
"It’s just one of those years where we can’t use excuses, these are the hand we were dealt so let’s see what we can do with who’s healthy,” he said. “We just had to make some changes and play a little bit different or rely on a couple of other people to pick up the slack.”
It’s a strong leadership core which has helped gird the team through some tough slogging. Rachel Beauchamp, an All-Canadian and provincial MVP, has kept up her pace and sits second in the PacWest in average rebounding (8.6 per game) and third in scoring (13.4 points per game). Miki leads the league in rebounding (9.3 per game) and is fifth in average points (12.5).
“We had a real balanced attack,” remarked the second-year coach. “I think we had four people in double-digits (last weekend) and when we do that it makes it a lot harder for teams to focus on one player.
“The part I’ve been really pleased with is we have three of the top four leading rebounders in the league – Nanaya, Rachel and Sara in the top-four. That’s something that we’re going to continue to focus on as a group.”
The aim remains getting to the provincials and defending that title, which ended a 24-year-long drought for the program.
As coach Beauchamp notes, it also requires not lifting their gaze off the present challenge. This weekend they play last-place Langara twice, but can’t afford to look past them.
“You look at what happened in the NFL last weekend – where you had Pittsburgh kind of looking past Jacksonville, and the next thing you see is Jacksonville goes to play New England. That’s kind of the message and approach we’re looking for,” said Beauchamp.
The Royals’ next home game is Jan. 26 when Vancouver Island comes to New West.
