Breakers look for third straight upset while Flames aim to return to championship glory

The Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Breakers were 72-71 winners in Friday’s semi-final round over the Maple Ridge Christian Hornets at the BC School Sports 1A Boys Basketball Provincial Championships at Langley Events Centre. Ryan Molag photo

They beat the third seed in the quarter-finals and the No. 2 seed in the semi-final round. Next up for the No. 6 Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Breakers is the tournament’s top seed, the Unity Christian Flames.

The Flames and the Breakers won their respective semi-final games on Friday at Langley Events Centre on Day 3 of the BC School 1A Boys Basketball Provincial Championships.

Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay was a 72-71 winner over the Maple Ridge Christian Hornets while the Unity Christian Flames defeated the St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders 77-63.

It sets up the Breakers first appearance in the championship game while Unity Christian makes their fourth straight trip to the gold-medal game, looking for a third victory in that span. The game gets underway at 12:30pm on Saturday (March 9) in the Arena Bowl at Langley Events Centre.

#6 Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay Breakers 72 #2 Maple Ridge Christian Hornets 71

The second-seed Maple Ridge Christian Hornets were up two at the half but opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run to lead by 11. But the Breakers kept chipping away, cutting the deficit to six with 10 minutes remaining and then rattling off 11 of the next 14 points to take their first lead since the second quarter. What followed was seven lead changes down the stretch with the Breakers scoring the winning points from the free throw line.

Temo Laughlin led Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay with 23 points with Levi Burton and Loay Almahmiid each adding 16. Trace Swain chipped in 14, including four 3-pointers. Carson Barber led all scorers as he poured in a game-high 27, which included 13 in the fourth quarter alone.

#1 Unity Christian Flames 77 St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders 63

For the fourth straight time at provincials, the Unity Christian Flames find themselves in the championship game with the Chilliwack school looking for a third title in that span. The Flames came out red-hot in Friday’s semi-final game, scoring 19 of the first 21 points in a 77-63 win over Kamloops’ St. Ann’s Academy Crusaders.

Unity Christian never trailed in the contest, leading for all but 42 seconds of the game. Jay Smiens led the offence with 36 points, as well as 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists. Aiden Sethen scored 19 for the Crusaders with Nash Pearce adding 14.