(BOYS) Pitt Meadows Marauders defeat Brentwood to take third place in 'No Regrets' Tourney

December 7, 2019
Brentwood v. Pitt Meadows Marauders

Written by Scott Leigh, Handsworth Grad ‘06

In a matchup with a third place hypothetical trophy on the line, the out of towners, Brentwood, look to get one more win before heading home using the BC Ferries services. Pitt Meadows, on the the other hand, have different plans. 

The first quarter has seen a back and forth affair, but the Marauders have dominated the majority of the ball possession and scoring. The three point shooting from Pitt Meadows has allowed them to increase their lead by up to 10 points in the first quarter. The majority of the first quarter has been spent researching Brentwood’s team name, and it has been decided from this point forward, if this is not already the case, will be the Brentwood Big Torches! At the end of the first quarter the Marauders are up 23-13. 

Brendon Pardy, # 24 for Pitt Meadows, is a big fan of pastels. From the green and pink pastel coloured Pumas, to the matching pastel pink headband, this kid has come out looking fly. Time will tell if his game will match the level of his style. The Big Torches have started the second Q applying more full court pressure with an aim to make the Marauders offence uncomfortable, and fight their way back into the game. Brentwood has pulled to within 7 a few minutes into the quarter, and will be relying on this pressure to keep this game competitive. Marauders keep knocking down the deep ball, which is stifling the comeback attempts by the Big Torches. Heading into the half, the Marauders are up 44-31.

Halftime Fact: The Collingwood basketball court actually has an underlay that makes running on the court easier on the joints (confirmed by Bill Yao, aka the “Billy Bear”).

Brentwood, well known for their rugby program, is looking to use their physical dominance to lineup a second half comeback. Juan Navarro, #14 for the Big Torches, is pushing some of the smaller Marauders around in the low-post. Not to be outdone - Jackson Juriga, #6 for Pitt Meadows, comes flying in for the emphatic block. Interestingly, Juriga is wearing one black and one white shoe, likely as a representation of the No Regrets Basketball Tournament colour scheme. The third quarter has been an equal back and forth battle, with the lead still sitting at 13 with a couple minutes left in the quarter. Pitt Meadows with 61 to Brentwood’s 46 at the end of the third Q. 

Brentwood is not ready to go home yet, after a quick run to start the final quarter they are down by 7 with 3 minutes left in the game. The Big Torches have found some rhythm in their half court offence, making smart decisions and finishing inside. Multiple intelligent play calls being executed by the team have them within 4 points midway through the quarter. Lining up to be a great finish. 6 point game, 2 minutes to go. A clutch fadeaway jumper by Iman Ostouori, #1 for Pitt, increases the lead to 8 with 1:40 left on the clock. Big Torches is going to need a little magic in the last minute if they want to sail back to the Island with a win. Down 7 with 46 seconds left in the game. A big three by Brentwood off a steal, followed by an offensive foul committed by the Marauders has this game down to a one possession game with 37 seconds left. A couple missed three throws by Pitt leaves the ball in the Big Torches hands, with a potential tie in reach. Unfortunately, a big time steal by the Marauders with 20 seconds to go has them at the line with a 3 point lead. Pardy hits 1 of 2 from the line to extend his team’s lead to 4, which may just be enough to seal the win for his squad. 

An incredibly entertaining game, with a solid push by Brentwood at the end to keep the fans highly engaged. Too little too late, with Pitt Meadows coming out on top.

Final Score: Pitt Meadows 77 :  Brentwood 71. 

No Regrets.