Fans fill Langley Events Centre for AAA basketball finals
More than 4,000 fans were on hand to watch a thrilling championship final at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday.
Exact attendance for the final game at the B.C. AAA senior boys basketball championship came in at 4,061.
And over the five days of the tournament, total attendance was 12,468.
The numbers in the stand weren’t the only big numbers this year, as the live internet streaming of the tournament hit new heights with 19,747 unique views catching the action from their computers.
Fans were treated to a back-and-forth classic between the Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Ravens and the hometown Walnut Grove Gators.
The see-saw game featured 18 lead changes, including 14 in the second half.
The Ravens won 75-74, erasing a nine-point deficit with a game-ending 12-2 run. It was capped off by Jesse Crookes, who scored with 3.4 seconds remaining. The Gators had one last chance to win the game, but were unable to get a shot off, turning the ball over.
The second-place finish was the best-ever for the Walnut Grove boys’ program, as well as the highest finish for a Langley high school in the 67-year history of the AAA tournament.
This is the second year the 20-team event has been held at the LEC, with a contract to hold the event until 2015.
See the Langley Times sports section for more.
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