Bears Beat Eagles in Opening Round

December 7, 2023 

Mount Boucherie Bears Vs Carson Graham Eagles 

Game story by Stuart Mittlestead 

 The Carson Graham gym filled with students to the familiar sound of squealing shoes on the hardwood.  The visiting Mount Boucherie Bears were in black with the Carson Graham Eagles in grey. Both kits were trimmed out with red. On the opening tip-off, the height matchup was nearly equal with Carson’s Abkenar’s curly “salad” giving him maybe an inch. He won the tip-off and used that momentum to pounce on a loose ball and open the scoring. The teams traded some long ball offence and a few fouls in the early going. At the line, the thunderous stomping from the home team’s packed gym kept the Bears conversion rate mediocre. Just a shade over 50% with the Eagles being about the same. Coach Broderick from Mount Boucherie was rolling the subs, keeping his team fresher than the meat at the Two Rivers Meats butcher counter. Both teams had 3-point attempts to close the quarter with the Bears succeeding. The visitors evidently weren’t feeling any ill effects of a long bus ride from West Kelowna. They had an 18-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.  

The second quarter started fast as Julio and Forrester on the Eagles linked up on a fast break. After 4 consecutive offensive rebounds in a single possession, the Bears finally answered back. A couple of answers actually, stretching their lead to 7. What they might have lacked in height vs their opponent, the Bears made up in tenacity. They spread their scoring among the 5 young men on the court. Carter on black had his team fired up after taking a charge from a much larger opponent. The Eagles were being held in it with Abkenar’s rebounding at both ends of the court. About 6 rebounds in just the quarter according to my inaccurate count. Miyazaki was stretching the lead for black on his own, after a nifty drive to the paint and 2 more from the foul line. The Bears went on a 6-0 run to end the quarter up 38-23. The home squad will be looking to address some unforced errors in the locker room. Carson’s Coach will be hoping his squad can come out playing as good as he was looking in his stylish crimson blazer. I wonder if he would lend it to me for my fast-approaching 20-year high school reunion. 

As this 2006 Carson grad’s eyes glanced at the 2006 Boys Rugby Championship banner, I hope these student athletes know they are experiencing some of the best times of their lives with the magic of high school sports. No Regrets! 

The second half started with a questionable foul on Abkenar sending Ethan Rishaug to the line. Like his hair, Rishaug’s shots from the foul line were all business (in the front) on one shot, and party (in the back) on the other. Justifiably, the refs were having trouble keeping their whistles out of their mouths as both teams were in foul trouble.  Carson was mounting a comeback with a 13-5 run due to improved passing. The Bears were unfazed by the crowd’s distractions and having better success on their many trips to the foul line. Giovani Mandelli came off the bench impressing with a behind the back assist on a fast break. And with that the 3rd quarter closed with the Bears up by 12. (55-43) 

While in some foul trouble, Carson’s 24 was back on the court and feeling eager to impact the final frame. And that he did early on in the points and rebound categories. The Bears were trying their luck from the arc with sharp shooting Hayato Miyazaki converting twice on 3-pointers.  It was proving hard for the Eagles to close the gap. Miyazaki continued to make his impact on the scoreboard, dishing it like a young Mike Bibby as well as being perfect from the foul line in the quarter. The Eagles definitely had the effort but were unable to string anything together with the Bears playing tough defence. The final horn sounded with the scoreboard reading 73-58 for the visitors.

Player of the game was Ty Bunn who had a solid game on both sides of the court.