Fifth-seeded young Royals squad seek success at PACWEST Championships
The Douglas Royals men’s basketball team will enter the PACWEST Championships this upcoming weekend as the #5 seeded team in the conference.
The Douglas Royals men's basketball team will enter the PACWEST Championships this upcoming weekend as the #5 seeded team in the conference.
The men played their final pair of regular season games last weekend on the road when they visited the Okanagan Coyotes. Friday night's matchup resulted in a 96-86 victory that saw Douglas taking control and leading Okanagan throughout all 4 quarters. Forward #14 Ehi Obetoh and guard #0 Corez Johnson led the team in points finishing with 22 and 19 while guard #5 Filip Karanovic tied his personal season-high for rebounds with 10. Albeit the Royals falling short 74-95 in Saturday afternoon's rematch, the squad's determined push to come back and have the game in reach in the late 3rd to early 4th quarter exhibited their drive to keep fighting until the final buzzer. The pair of games culminates Douglas' season record to 5-13, finishing fifth amongst all teams. They currently average 80.6 points per game and have amassed a 40% overall field goal percentage.
Although they are the defending PACWEST gold medalists, the team has started with a relatively fresh slate this season with only one returning player (#6 Ben Rabel) alongside a new head coach.
Many newcomers on the roster have quickly become consistent contributors for the Royals offense. Rookie guard #0 Corez Johnson is the Royals' leading scorer and three-point shooter. He placed 5th in points per game (18.25 AVG) and 5th in average steals per game (1.63 AVG) amongst all conference leaders this season. Johnson's best game of the season happened away against the Camosun Chargers where he put up 33 points on the night with a 48.1% field goal percentage. His solid defensive play mixed with his ability to make buckets in key moments makes him a significant component of the roster. On Wednesday morning, Johnson was named as a PACWEST Second Team All-Star as well as an All-Rookie Team member.
Additionally, rookie #5 Filip Karanovic completed the season sitting at 10th in the conference in average assists per game (2.63 AVG) while fellow first-year guard #10 Jarrett Jacobs sits right behind him at 11th (2.5 AVG). These two young players have also been very impactful for the Royals offense this season and look to continue their solid game at the provincial championships.
4th year veteran forward #6 Ben Rabel placed 2nd in average rebounds per game amongst the league leaders (12.94 AVG). His strongest game of the year in terms of ball control came on the road against the CBC Bearcats where he accumulated 20 rebounds and 18 points. As a senior and returnee with prior PACWEST Championships experience including a gold medal under his belt, Rabel will be a crucial rock for the team in terms of leadership, offense, and ball control on the court during the playoffs.
With such a young team, the PACWEST Championships this upcoming weekend will be an important stage for many on the roster to showcase their talents and fight their way through in the hopes of coming out with a medal.
The Royals are set to face the #4 seed Langara Falcons (8-10) in the quarter-finals on Thursday night at 7:30pm in Abbotsford. The game will take place in person at Columbia Bible College and will also be livestreamed online via PACWEST LIVE.
