Last week at Aldergrove Community Secondary marked the fifth triumph for the school鈥檚 Grade 12 boy鈥檚 basketball team.

The Totems took on their cross-town rivals the D.W. Poppy Redhawks, on Wednesday Jan. 21, in a close match that ended in a score of 63-57 for Aldergrove.

Head coach and ACSS teacher Weston Wedan, who served as an assistant coach last season, said it was the team鈥檚 fifth win this time around.

Aldergrove鈥檚 players were seen weaving in-and-out of their competition 鈥� a skill Wedan has challenged the crew with since they first began competing in Grade 10.

They have 鈥渨orked tirelessly鈥� at a game most of them began playing just two seasons ago, he said 鈥� 鈥渢his is the only basketball [most of them] have ever played.鈥�

By 2:20 in the third quarter the score was 49-48 for the Totems, both teams having periodically taken precedence on the scoreboard.

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Aldergrove and Poppy were neck-and-neck 55-54 with 4:29 left in the game. At 2:20, Poppy prevailed with another successful shot on net, taking the lead 57-56.

The crowd was tense at 00:32 seconds left in the game, until Aldergrove scored, taking back the lead and winning the game after netting subsequent free throws.

With at least four fouls registered by both teams, foul shots became a regular occurrence of the game.

Aldergrove defeated Poppy with a final tally of 60-57.

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The Totem鈥檚 coach said their 鈥済reatest strength is their bond with one another both on and off the court,鈥� as many of the players are 鈥渂est friends鈥� in real life.

鈥淏ecause of that they鈥檝e been a joy to coach,鈥� Wedan said, also admitting to the challenges the team has faced.

The Grade 12s, with the exception of a few Grade 10 players, 鈥渉ave risen above their circumstances鈥� and 鈥渘ot let the score of the game dictate their passion for playing,鈥� he added.

And finding qualified volunteers to coach sports, committing to long hours after school, is often a challenge, admitted ACSS鈥� PHE department head Dan Renaud.

Wedan said Aldergrove Secondary鈥檚 basketball program is in the start of a rebuild.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get basketball to be a big sport again like it was in the past鈥� for the school, Wedan added.

The Totem鈥檚 next regular season game was on Tuesday Jan. 28 against the 91原创 Secondary Saints in 91原创.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping to finish the year on a high note, to the best of our ability, and with more focus on the internal scoreboard,鈥� Wedan added.

The Totems will continue playing until mid-February when the season wraps up.

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