Mission secondary’s senior boys basketball team had the luxury of coasting under the radar nearly all last season, until they emerged as a force to be reckoned with during provincials.
The AA Roadrunners weren’t even supposed to make it out of the Fraser Valleys last year, but they earned first and went on to lose in the provincial finals in overtime.
After this strong performance, Mission is coming into the season ranked first overall, and all eyes are on the Roadrunners.
Several members of the varsity football team also play basketball, and the toughness and physicality they’ve developed on the field is showing on the court, said coaches Danny Jakobs and Jim Pearce.
The Roadrunners are already 5-0 with their first league game last night (Dec. 14) at MSS against Archbishop Carney.
This year’s team is a far stronger scoring squad, said Jakobs. The Roadrunners last year focused on a strangling defence that allowed them to contain high-scoring teams, and while that element is still existent, the players worked hard in the off-season to bring up their shooting skills.