Maple Ridge Ramblers vs Cowichan Thunderbirds
Maple Ridge Ramblers Preview
The Ramblers were an underrated team going into the season. They started out strong winning a number of tournaments including the Gator Classic at Walnut Grove and Hawkball at WJ Mouat. Interestingly enough, the Ramblers beat the T-Birds in the finals of the Hawkball back in Dec. To get to the Provincials, the Ramblers had a couple of big playoff tournaments winning the Fraser Valley North Division playoffs before reaching the final four of the Fraser Valley Championships. The Ramblers beat Bateman and Gleneagle before losing to Brookswood in the Semis. In their final game, they beat WRCA to claim 3rd overall from the Valleys. The Ramblers are led by 2 twin towers in 6'9" Jared Casey and 6'10" Brandon Stephenson. Casey is the focal point of the offense with the Ramblers running a traditional 2 post offense. Casey, who recently signed a letter of intent to play at NCAA Div1 USF next year, has good moves in the post and is a natural scorer. Suprisingly though, he isn't a great rebounder and isn't an accomplished shot blocker even with his height. The Ramblers like to slow play games, using their super-height to get high-percentage shots.
Players to Watch for: Jared Casey, Brandon Stephenson, Ryan Dwyer
Outlook: A tough first round draw vs a very hot and dangerous T-Birds team. Subsequent rounds will be no cakewalk either with Kitsilano, Oak Bay and Brookswood ahead.
Cowichan Thunderbirds Preview
The true underdog story of the Provincials this year is Cowichan. They shouldn't win any games, but there's enough upside for an upset or 2. The T-Birds flew under the radar for most of the season especially when all the talk on the Islands was about Claremont, Dover Bay, Oak Bay, Vanier and Wellington. 3 of those teams did not even make the Provincials this year which is unbelievable in itself. As mentioned, the T-Birds did lose to Maple Ridge in their only head-to-head matchup of the year in the finals of the Hawkball back in Dec. More recently, the T-Birds beat Claremont who were ranked #5 by Basketball BC in an elimination game, then dispatched Stelly's to claim the 3rd and final berth from the Islands. A lot went in the T-Birds favor, first of all they were the host school. Then somehow Dover Bay inexplicably lost an elimination to a weaker Stelly's team allowing Cowichan to take that 3rd spot. But the credit goes to the T-Birds players and coaches, they did what they needed to get in, and they're in. The T-Birds are led by Mitch Holloway and Jason McKinnon. I haven't seen the T-Birds play but like I've said in other posts, the team is just scary. They've got players you've never heard of but they're real physical and play insane D from what my sources tell me.
Players to Watch for: Mitch Holloway, Jason McKinnon
Outlook: Could be a Cinderella in the making. They will have to upset some very good teams though. Maple Ridge will be a tough test with their height advantage.
posted by BCSportsFanatic @ 9:07 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
i pretty sure physical is an understatement for cowichan, they are a very tough team, if your not on your witts, they will take you down with 3's comming from number 13 and mitch along with extremely fast guards tearing upa nd down the court. Down low they are not undersized as there big man is around 6'7" ish maybe more or less....and has some good moves, draws fouls easily. This game is a really a tossup for me, seing cowichan polay twice this year( in the islands) and maple ridge once at pitt meadows. When i saw ridge play, there was really nothing outstanding with jared, but once again that was 1 game, so i'm not making any assumptions. Tough tough game, good to watch.
I'm biased because I'm from the island, but the way I see it it just depends on what Cowichan team comes out to play. They can play with anybody with the exception of maybe the big 3 (Kits, Handsworth and Saints). At the Mouat tournament where Ridge beat Cowichan in the finals Cowichan beat MEI and North Delta in the two previous games before not showing up to the final. Should be one of the closest first round games along with cent/kits and Vanier/WRCA.
Mr. Blogger, Im a little tired of you stating your opinion as literal facts. Earlier this year i you were crediting Centinnial as the best team in the province. But what have they done recently. Theyve crawled into the BC's and they'd be lucky if they live to play on the weekend. Next, please stop making it out like all these teams from the island were upset by all these cinderella teams. 7 out of the 8 teams participating were provincially ranked and all were good, solid teams. I dont understand how you can have Cowichan as an underdog, they were ranked 8th in BC at one point. Theyve beaten some of the best teams in BC. They beat Claremont and anyone who can beat them can beat anyone in the province. Finally, Obviously you haven't seen stellys play if you are calling them a weak team. They had beaten cowichan earlier in the season and also had wins over oak Bay and Belmont a couple times(of whom you seem to love so much). The islands was a pure dogfight and the three toughest teams made it through.
They beat Claremont and anyone who can beat them can beat anyone in the province. Ommm... have u seen the other teams in the province like handsworth st georges kits...... Claremont was not the best team in the province if u think that u have issues
I agree in part, Claremont was one of the best teams in BC. Like it or not. They had a double overtime game with handsworth that shouldve been theirs. That said, they werent the same powerful team when they faced cowichan.
didn't claremont beat Kits earlier in the season. There is no doubting that claremont was a top team in BC, they just werent tough enough. Its sad that teams like them dont get to go to the BCs. Theres no doubt the island shouldve gotten more berths this year and nobody in their right mind can argue with that. Ill even go as far as saying that excludin StGeorges and Kitsalanio, there were a total of 8, count 'em 8, teams better than any team in the lower mainlaind region. Yet Magee, Churchill, and Burnaby sout get to play at the agrodome.
brandon stephenson is not one of ridges key players. He is there worst starter. Hes 6'10, 6'11 and he mabye averages 8 points a game
Yah kid does Suck haha..
and BBY south isnt in it its Killarney..
and Centennial was one of the Best teams in the beg of the year b4 shit started happenening to them
and who knows cent over kits? if they get by kelowna
I could see cent pulling of a win vs kits and I hope they do. The battle of the paul's will be interesting and I predict samra getting the jockey of his game. Kits probly saw the draw and was a bit mad at a first round tough team but besides that saw themselves cruiseing to the finals......lets go cent.
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