Lights-out shooting leads Celtics past Pipers in championship final

The St. Patrick Celtics are the 2025 Junior Boys Basketball Invitational Tournament champions following a 83-73 win over the Argyle Pipers on Feb. 25 at Langley Events Centre. Garrett James photo

Finalists just a year ago, the St. Patrick Celtics returned to the grand stage in 2025 with a mission—and this time, they finished the job.

In a thrilling battle of the tournament’s top two teams, the second-seeded Celtics outlasted the No. 1 Argyle Pipers, 83-73, in front of a packed crowd at South Court at Langley Events Centre. The final game of the Junior Boys Basketball Invitational Tournament lived up to the hype, with both teams delivering a showcase of elite talent and high-stakes basketball.

The contest remained tight throughout, with the game hanging in the balance late in the fourth quarter. With just a one-point lead in the latter stages, the Celtics delivered the dagger—hitting back-to-back three-pointers to extend their advantage to seven, a margin the Pipers could not erase.

Facing an Argyle team that held a clear size advantage—boasting two players at 6’4” and 6’5”—the Celtics turned to their lethal outside shooting. The strategy paid off in a major way, as they drained 15 three-pointers. Leading the charge from deep was Dion Gonzales, who buried six threes on his way to a 20-point performance.

The star of the night, however, was Dhyme Cotin. The Celtics’ dynamic scorer erupted for 36 points, with 23 of those coming in the second half. Cotin’s clutch performance earned him both the Championship Player of the Game and Most Valuable Player honours.

On the other side, the Pipers put up a valiant effort behind the scoring of Nathan Szpak, who led his team with 20 points. Ilia Maydan and Jaydan Szpak also contributed significantly, adding 17 and 16 points, respectively.

In the third-place game, it was Surrey’s Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers defeating the Terry Fox Ravens (Port Coquitlam) 52-41.

Tournament Awards

Most Valuable Player
Dhyme Cotin, St. Patrick

Best Defensive Player
Ilia Maydan, Argyle

Championship Player of the Game
Dhyme Cotin, St. Patrick

Most Sportsmanlike Team
Abbotsford Traditional Titans

First Team All-Stars

Gurtaj Hayer, Lord Tweedsmuir
Diego Castro, Terry Fox
Jericho Labrador, St. Patrick
Logan Szpak, Argyle
Ilia Maydan, Argyle

Second Team All-Stars

Amara Madahar, Sir Winston Churchill
Miguel Samson, Burnaby South
Djordje Komar, New Westminster
Nathan Szpak, Argyle
Jaideep Athwal, Lord Tweedsmuir

For full results, click here or visit www.bchighschoolbasketballchampionships.com/jrboys.

-30-