Royals to hit the court for home opener Saturday night vs. Blues

This Saturday, the Douglas Royals men's basketball team will host the Capilano Blues for their home opener. Although the men did not get the outcome they hoped for last weekend after falling to the Langara Falcons in back-to-back games, the squad looks to regroup themselves and seek an entrance in the win column. 

Despite the losses, the Royals were in no means far behind the Falcons. Both matches were close and within reach, with Friday night's game being a nail-biter that ended in a narrow 89-84 win for Langara. First-year Douglas guard Jarrett Jacobs led the team by scoring 23 points after coming off the bench, while returnee forward Ben Rabel put up a double-double consisting of 15 points and 13 rebounds.  

Saturday night saw the Royals battling hard and completing the game with a 39% field goal percentage, just coming up short to the Falcons 85-97. Rookie guard Johnson Corez put up 22 points in the performance. 

Heading into Saturday's home opener, the 2021-22 Royals have started the season with a fairly new slate. They have only one returning player from 2019-20's gold medal-winning team, making this year's roster consist of a lot of fresh faces and exciting young talent.  

Douglas is also led by a new addition to their coaching staff in Matt McKay, who assumed the role this summer. His experience of coaching at the NCAA and CCAA levels (SFU and KPU) as well as the national level, are a huge asset for the squad for the months to come. 

"The guys are competitive and working really hard together, they've been great to coach with, and we've got great staff to work with." McKay commented. "It's been as positive a start as you can hope for." (On beginning his first year with the Royals). 

This weekend will be an exciting time for the group as they prepare to host the Capilano Blues for their first home game in over a year. Their last matchup against the Blues was on January 18, 2020, that saw the Royals claim an 86-71 victory. 

"The [team] has come together pretty quickly. We're still getting to figure out roles and where everybody fits best." 

Catch the Douglas Royals men's basketball team in action this Saturday night at 8pm in the New Westminster gym as they face off against the Capilano Blues (3-0) for their first meetup of the season. Tickets at the door are $6 for general admission (19+), while Douglas students get in for free. Proof of vaccination for all spectators 12+ is required. Livestream will be available on PACWEST TV.