Five takeaways from the 55th annual BRIT

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With two minutes left on the clock, and the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament (BRIT) championship trophy soon to be headed out of town after a one-year stay at home, chants of “MVP” echoed through a packed Kelly Bowers Gymnasium.

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The outcome of Saturday’s final was a foregone conclusion at that point, as was the choice for most valuable player.

Aleksandar Popovic, a powerhouse 6-foot-6 forward, was putting the finishing touches on a dominant weekend that included his game-high 29 points, leading Edmonton St. Francis Xavier to a 62-53 victory over Holy Cross.

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St. FX lived up to its billing as pre-tournament favourite, adding to its BRIT title from 2017. In back-to-back games, the Rams beat the defending BRIT champions from Walter Murray and last year’s runners-up from Holy Cross.

“It means a lot to us to put our name up there for a second time as a school from out of province,” Rams head coach Brad Farish said.

Here are five more takeaways from the 55th annual BRIT …

1 — Slow start for Rams in final

After averaging 78.5 points per game in their first two wins, the Rams trailed 13-4 after a first quarter highlighted by Holy Cross’s zone defence, active hands and rim protecting.

“We were able to stay in it defensively while we figured out our offence, so that was good,” Farish said. “And then we just kind of carried that through to the end.”

2 — A critical moment

The game turned in the Rams’ favour early in the second quarter.

Holy Cross all-star Kian Tyson picked up his second and third personal fouls in the first 73 seconds, and sat for the rest of the frame. By halftime, St. FX led 26-22 and never trailed again. A 10-4 Cross run to start the fourth quarter got them to 49-47, but the Rams responded with a 12-3 spurt to seal the title.

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Also recognized alongside MVP Popovic and all-star Tyson were all-stars Nathan Yambayamba (St. Francis Xavier) and Moe Osman (Holy Cross).

3 — Exclusive club for Hawley

Despite two disappointing losses, Walter Murray sharpshooter Zach Hawley joined some exclusive company.

Future member of the Los Angeles Lakers Robert Sacre was named tournament all-star in 2005 and MVP in 2006 and 2007, leading North Vancouver Handsworth to three straight titles. Until this year, he was the only player to receive three individual tournament awards.

That changed when Hawley was selected to this year’s all-star team. The accolade follows his all-star award in 2023 and MVP honour in 2024.

After advancing to the 2023 final and then last year becoming the first Saskatoon team in two decades to win BRIT, the Marauders lost their semi-final 78-68 to St. Francis Xavier, and then the third-place game 75-68 to the West Vancouver Highlanders.

4 — A throwback victory

More than ever, basketball teams are relying on two choices offensively: three-pointers or layups. The West Vancouver squad went retro in its win over the Marauders.

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Led by all-star Calvin Kuzyk, the Highlanders dominated with a mid-range game that has fallen largely out of style. Hitting jumper after jumper around the free throw line or just inside the key, they kept the defending champs on the ropes.

5 — Back-to-back finals for Cross

The Crusaders are the seventh team to drop back-to-back BRIT finals, following Bedford Road (1970-71), Mount Royal (1983-84), Holy Cross (1985-86), Aden Bowman (1988-89), Langley, B.C. Brookswood (1998-99) and Regina Sheldon Williams (2007-08).

“Just being there is a great experience, but it’s always hard to lose,” Kian Tyson said.

The Crusaders can take some solace knowing that most of the teams that lost in two straight BRIT finals were competing for a provincial crown two months later.

Bedford lost in the provincial finals in both 1970 and 1971, Mount Royal advanced to the provincial final in 1983, and Bowman won Hoopla gold in 1988 and 1989, while the Sheldon squads won gold in 2007 and then silver at provincials in 2008.

BRIT BITS: The consolation final went to the Magrath, Alta. Zeniths, with an 82-48 win over Medicine Hat … Tip of the cap to the panel winners from Walter Murray … BRIT, for years, has held an exhibition game featuring the Bedford Road girls. For the first time, the Redhawks girls squad was included in the official tournament program … It was likely just a coincidence, but the timing was certainly appropriate. Midway through Murray’s tournament opener against Quebec’s Seminaire St. Joseph, and with the Marauders up by around 30 points, the 1990s hip-hop hit ‘I Wish’ played during a timeout. Among the lyrics: “I wish I was a little bit taller. I wish I was a baller.”

— With Saskatoon StarPhoenix files from Don Rice and Dave Deibert

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