The impact of the new AAAA tier is being felt throughout senior boys basketball as the city’s public league begins this month.
This past weekend at the 47th Chancellor Tournament, held on the shiny new hardwood at St. Thomas More in Burnaby, the new basketball world order was evident.
One of the big changes caused by this year’s new fourth tier, according to veteran Tupper Tigers’ coach Jeff Gourley, is that the Chancellor is now a marquee tournament for AAA teams — with eight of the province’s top 15 AAA teams represented — rivaling the esteemed Terry Fox Legal Beagle invitational.
“Any tournament that has two ranked teams in it is a major tournament,” said Gourley. “To have eight ranked teams? Oh my goodness. That is big stuff.”
As the only Vancouver school at the tournament, the Tupper Tigers — ranked in the top five in the province — fought hard in two competitive games but ultimately lost to the AAAA Delta Pacers 71-63 for a fourth place finish. The Tigers are an AAA school and are also playing at that same level, marking a change from past seasons when they were technically AA but playing up at AAA, then the highest tier.
In coming years, the tournament will be even better and include more Vancouver teams, said the coach. Tupper is already registered for next year.
Because of larger populations, larger schools typically have more choices and can count on taller and stronger players. But those AAAA schools now have a distinct tier, meaning AAA schools like Tupper are on a level playing field and play more competitive and exciting games, said Gourley.
A few vocal Tupper parents in the stands at the Chancellor tourney agreed.
“Gives a better chance to all the teams,” said Surender Gangar, father to Grade 12 Tupper forward Sumit Gangar. “More equal footing for sure … I am really enjoying it this year.”
Most importantly, said Gourley, the additional tier means an additional B.C. championship, which means more players can compete at provincials.
“There are only so many champions,” he said, “but the experience for a high school player, sitting at the end of the bench to go to the Langley Event Centre and see their picture up on the Jumbotron, when they go into the game or to play on the big court… forget about the best player in the province, how about the worst player at the tournament? That is an amazing experience for that kid that they will cherish and remember for the rest of their lives.”
Gladstone Gladiators’ coach Steve Anderson agrees that the benefits of the new tier system are felt by more than just the top-ranked teams.
While Tupper is at the top end of the AAA spectrum, the Gladiators are rebuilding and find themselves near the bottom. In previous years, Anderson explained, weaker teams would often have to play top teams a few times a season — and get beat by 50 to 100 points, which is something that doesn’t do kids on either side of the court any good.
“[Now] it is split really nicely for the two- and three-A schools to play league games against each other,” he said.
In Vancouver, AAAA public schools will have their own league and championship while AA and AAA teams will compete in a separate league for a distinct city title.
The downside is that there isn’t going to be a true city championship that represents the whole city, but the upside is smaller AA and AAA schools will have a better chance of winning a city championship, Anderson said.
As a coach it is easier to motivate his players because they know they can compete and possibly win a championship, Anderson added.
He said he is hopeful Gladstone will make the playoffs, which will only mean winning two or three league games. That’s something he is confident his boys can do.
