Irish stun Dolphins, win first title since 1967

The Vancouver College Fighting Irish won the 2026 BC School Sports 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Tournament. Garrett James photo

Nearly 60 years after their last championship victory, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish are back on top of the basketball world.

The Irish won their first BC School Sports 4A Boys Basketball Provincial Tournament on Saturday night on Ken Winslade Court in front of a packed crowd in the Arena Bowl at Langley Events Centre. Vancouver College – the second seed – overcame an early 9-0 deficit to defeat the No. 1 Dover Bay Dolphins 94-67.

Vancouver College last won the title in 1967 and this marks the program’s sixth all-time, marking the most by any school at the 4A level.

The Irish nearly weren’t even in the final, needing to score the final 12 points the night before in a comeback semi-final victory, 70-69, over the Oak Bay Bays, just to make Saturday’s game.

The championship final saw the Irish’s Ashton Wong score 37 points to go alongside his 12 rebounds. Micah Mayott added 16 while Ethan Chau and Lucas Tan-Ngo each scored 13.

Dane Schmidt led the Dolphins with 25 points while Joe Linder added 23.

The third-place game saw the Kelowna Owls 73-68 with Finn Stewart scoring 17 to lead the Owls. Simon Wiwcharuk-Burr was tops for Kelowna with 22.

Tournament Awards & Honours
• MVP: Ashton Wong, Vancouver College
• Best Defensive Player: Micah Mayott, Vancouver College
• Quinn Keast Foundation Championship Player of the Game: Micah Mayott, Vancouver College
• Braich Foundation Most Inspirational Player: Willem Urban, St. George's School
• Inspiring Bandit Scholarship: Taige Roberts, Yale; Avery Neilsen, Kitsilano
• Primetime Sports Scholarship: Jack Snead, Semiahmoo
• Most Inspirational Team: Panorama Ridge Thunder
• Wink Willox Most Sportsmanlike Team: North Peace Grizzlies
• School Spirit Award: Vancouver College Fighting Irish

All-Stars
• First Team: Alex Birsan (Centennial), Dane Schmidt (Dover Bay), Joe Linder (Dover Bay), Lucas Tan-Ngo (Vancouver College), Simon Wiwcharuk-Burr (Oak Bay)
• Second Team: Roman Simmons (St. George's School), Jack Snead (Semiahmoo), Luke Guzina (Tamanawis), Wells Grundy (Kelowna), Nathan Chen (Vancouver College)