While others were battling the crowds and traffic to fill Christmas wish lists, New Westminster Hyacks’ head coach Doug Woodward was happy to sit at home and count his blessings.
A strong, healthy start to the season by his senior girls AAA basketball team counts as one of the biggest gifts he could have hope for.
The Hyacks continued to impress by outscoring its opposition 216-130 over three games, taking the three-game Bob Gair Classic tournament title with a 78-55 win over the St. Thomas More Knights.
Powered by a 19-point performance from Grade 11 guard Sarah Forgie, the Hyacks held sway virtually the whole game and offered up a good mix of the team’s varied defensive schemes in the process.
Earlier, New West defeated Mount Boucherie 65-37, getting 21 points from Forgie and 11 from Grade 10 Natalie Nastase.
“STM and Mount Boucherie were the strongest teams we faced, they had size and a little bit of everything but they couldn’t handle our press,” said Woodward. “(Boucherie’s) best player was their post, who has a great shot, but we covered her pretty well.”
Against the Knights, the Hyacks busted open the game in the second quarter in the span of a minute, turning a 12-point lead into 20 by cashing in eight quick points.
“We’ve got a couple of kids who steal the ball so well, they know each other and find each other... Really it was like 50 seconds and (we) put up four baskets.”
New West launched the tourney by topping Cambie 73-38, as Devin Strome counted 14 points while Milanna Obrovac, Tianna Gough and Forgie all hit for double digits.
Picking up the Gair MVP award was Grade 12 guard Jaime Lee, while post Keja Davis was named an all-star.
Lee, who works so well in tandem with Forgie, has really grown into her role as a starter.
"She deserved (the MVP award) because she's worked so hard. Between Jaime and Sarah either could have won that award... Every time (Lee) steps on the court she's running, working and doing something positive," said Woodward. "Last year she was like our sixth or seventh man, and I said to her at the end of the season how she was going to be a starter, that she was going to have a big role to play. Her defence is so good."
He noted that Davis, at 5-foot-9, is a key pillar in the team's starting five and like fellow post player Devin Strome, has taken the defence to another level.
"We have a defensive system that is pretty complicated and it takes a year to get," he noted. "(Davis) has gotten it down, she's backing up the play and playing well."
The wins ran the team’s record to 11-1, with the lone blemish coming at a Hawaii tournament.
Woodward conceded that the Hyacks have yet to meet any of the province’s heavy-hitters, but feels they are in good position to make waves come next month’s Centennial Top-10 tourney, where they will be thrown in with the top-ranked squads from across B.C.
“I’m looking forward to it, because every game is a great test,” he said of the Coquitlam tournament, which tips off Jan. 12.
New West, which wasn't ranked in the recent ratings put out by the Province, will likely be slotted among the bottom four teams at the 16-team tourney, and draw a top-five opponent. Woodward's all right with that.
"Whether we win or lose that first game isn't important," he said. "what you get is three really good games and it puts you in the mindset of what it takes to get to the provincials."
