Image: Langley Events Centre via B.C. School Sports / Unity Christian's Jay Smiens (#10) goes high for a shot over a St. Ann's Academy opponent during the 1A Provincial Championships tournament. Unity Christian rebounded from a third-quarter deficit by outscoring Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay 21-12 in the fourth quarter, as the top-seeded Flames won the B.C. School Sports 1A Provincial Championships Saturday at the Langley Events Centre with a 74-71 win. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Unity Christian boys win 1A provincials

Unity Christian of Chilliwack edges Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay 74-71, captures 1A provincial championship title

Mar 9, 2024 | 6:32 PM

LANGLEY — Jay Smiens and teammate Ryder Vander Kooi each scored 22 points, and Unity Christian rebounded from a third-quarter deficit by outscoring Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay 21-12 in the final frame, as the top-seeded Flames won the B.C. School Sports 1A Provincial Championships Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.

Smiens, who had a monster game in the semifinal Friday by scoring 36 points in a 77-63 win over St. Ann’s Academy, scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half, including three treys from beyond the 3-point arc, as Unity Christian maintained a 37-34 lead going into halftime, including a 12-point lead of 35-23 at one point.

Vander Kooi, a 6-foot-7 centre, picked up where Smiens left off in the first half, pouring in 14 of his 22 points in the second half. He snatched 19 rebounds.

Image: Langley Events Centre via B.C. School Sports / Unity Christian won the B.C. School Sports 1A Provincial Championships with a 74-71 win Saturday over Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay.

Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay grabbed the lead in the third quarter by outscoring the Flames 25-16 thanks to sharpshooting from Trace Swain, who had 19 points and five three-pointers in the loss.

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But the Flames, coached by David Bron, would not be denied their third provincial title in four years as Vander Kooi had eight points in the fourth quarter. Smiens had one of his four three-pointers in the fourth quarter; Ryan Post, a 6-foot-6 forward, had four of his seven points in the final quarter, as foul trouble impacted Gidgalang Kuuyas Naay. Two of six Breakers players on the roster fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Ryun Fukomoto added eight points for Unity Christian in the win, which gave the Flames another championship following 1A title wins in 2020 and 2022 (there was no provincial championship in 2021 due to COVID-19).