If there’s a theme for this year’s New Westminster senior boys basketball team, it’s all about speed.
Height was so last year; this year’s Hyacks edition hopes to confound its rivals with slippery skills and a depth that can outlast nearly any bench.
So far so good, as New West had a trio of wins heading into last night’s (after the Record’s deadline) regular season opener at Cariboo Hill.
“I have a good group of guys that can shoot the ball for sure,” said Hyacks coach Arno Richter. “We’re going to try to play a faster, outside shooting game because that’s the team we have.”
A year ago, the squad boasted four guys six-foot-four or taller, but fell short of a provincial AAAA tournament berth when they fell in the consolation semifinal.
Now, while the road is just as treacherous, wins over R.A. McNeill (112-62), Pitt Meadows (88-84) and on Monday, 87-59 over Queen Elizabeth, are encouraging signs that they are moving in the right direction.
“We had a lot of quick guys last year, but this year there just seemed a willingness from the beginning to play fast,” said Richter.
“It’s a fun way to play basketball, instead of smashing it out all the time.”
Against McNeill, Ralf Canlas counted 18 points, while six guys hit for double digits.
In the closest battle, New West held a three-point lead over Pitt at halftime, and managed to keep ahead while under steady pressure.
Shooting guard Klyde Macahilo led the way with 23 points, while Ramadan Ali chipped in 14.
Both are key returnees on a senior-heavy lineup. Ten of the 13 players are in Grade 12, adding a sense of urgency and maturity. Giving more reason for optimism is the depth, with everyone able to take regular turns and contribute.
Richter said the team’s tallest players – son Paul at six-foot-four, while Luka Cuk is six-foot-two – will be asked to do a lot of mopping up rebound-wise.
But he added there are expectations on the guards to be just as aggressive when it comes to winning the ball battles up high.
“From the rebound perspective, I’m really encouraging our guards to get involved more,” said Richter. “We shoot a lot of threes and those lead to a lot of rebounds.”
In the victory over McNeill, the Hyacks unleashed a barrage of long distance shooting, counting 14 treys in the first half alone. Seven players struck from outside the arc.
This weekend, New West plays in the No Regrets tournament in North Vancouver, and host Burnaby-New West league rival Alpha on Monday, 7 p.m.
