Celtics, Dolphins set to clash for 3A Title

The Dover Bay Dolphins defeated the North Delta Huskies to advance to the BC School Sports 3A Boys Basketball Provincial Tournament championship game. photo courtesy of Vancouver Sports Pictures

It will be the top-seed and reigning champion St. Patrick Celtics and the No. 2 Dover Bay Dolphins battling for the 2023 BC School Sports 3A Boys Basketball Provincial Tournament title on Saturday, March 11 at Langley Events Centre. The game will be played at 5:30pm.

Dover Bay 91 North Delta 59

One game after setting a new single-game tournament scoring record with a 47-point effort, Dover Bay’s Luke Linder picked up where he left off, dropping 20 points in the first quarter alone as the Dolphins punched their ticket to the championship final with a 91-59 win over the North Delta Huskies.

The Huskies opened the game with a 3-pointer, but it was their lone lead of the night as Linder scored 20 of his team’s 26 points in the quarter and the Dolphins were off to the races, leading by as many as 45 points at one point in the final period.

Linder finished with 42 points, including hitting eight of his 12 3-pointers while Frank Linder had a near triple double with 13 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists. The 6-6 Grade 10 guard also finished with four steals and a blocked shot.

Harvir Hothi scored 26 points for the No. 6 Huskies.

Dover Bay will be making their first appearance in the 3A title game — they won the 2007 4A title –  where they are up against the defending champion and top seed St. Patrick Celtics after the Celtics won 93-66 over the Lord Byng Grey Ghosts.

St. Patrick 93 Lord Byng 66

A 16-0 second-quarter spurt opened up a double-digit lead as the defending champion St. Patrick Celtics made their way back into the 3A Tournament championship game.

Leading the way for the Celtics was 2022 Most Valuable Player Irish Coquia, who finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds, as well as 6 assists and 6 steals. Joey Panghulan (17 points) AND Jovin Sunner (13 points) also reached double figures for St. Patrick.

The Celtics shot .447 from the field.

Lord Byng’s Dylan King finished with 30 points for the Grey Ghosts.

The St. Patrick Celtics are a victory away from winning a second straight BC School Sports 3A Boys Basketball Provincial Tournament title. photo courtesy of Vancouver Sports Pictures