For immediate release

A.R. MacNeill Wins Pat Dooley Memorial Junior Boys Basketball Classic

METRO VANCOUVER, BC – (December 5, 2011) – When the final buzzer rang Saturday afternoon at KPU, one team stood victorious but all of the teams took one thing with them: the knowledge that they'd been part of something special and that in one way or another, they'd taken Pat [Dooley] with them.

The Pat Dooley Memorial Junior Boys Basketball Classic is hosted by KPU men's basketball team and is one of the first tournaments to kick-off BC's junior boys basketball tournament schedule. Commencing December 1 and held over three days, the 2011 Classic hosted seven local junior boys teams in grade 9-10 who competed in honour of Pat Dooley; a member of the KPU Eagles family who played sports with passion and promise and who passed away suddenly on February 5, 2008.

This year's classic championship title went to A.R MacNeill Secondary (Richmond) who shot the lights out on Saturday afternoon, racking up a 35-point victory over Pacific Academy and improving upon their sixth place finish in 2010. Enroute to their title, they defeated Panorama Ridge [55-53], Elgin Park [65-32], and Pacific Academy [68-33].

In its four-year history, the Classic title has gone to four different teams, which is a testament to the depth of talent that exists in BC junior boys basketball.

"The Pat Dooley Memorial Junior Boys Basketball Classic is about more than just basketball," commented Elise Le Brun, KPU's director, athletics and recreation. "It's about following your passion; sportsmanship; being a part of the community, but most of all, it's about honouring a young man who embodied all of these elements."

The Classic's Most Valuable Player went to A.R MacNeill's post player Nathan Tomas, who dominated the event with rebounds and some strong post play. Classic all-star honours went to Matt Strang (Elgin Park), Afan Saleem (North Delta), Nimrit Plaha (Panorama Ridge), Mosses Adediran (Pacific Academy) and Omar Tung (A.R. MacNeill).

An honourable mention goes out to Coach Satinder Grewal and the boys from North Surrey Secondary who, after one of the teams dropped out, accepted the challenge to play twice as many games as every other team to make sure the classic schedule did not have to be altered.

According to Steve Dooley, Pat's dad, "Pat was very passionate about sport and worked hard at whatever he put his mind to. He loved being part of the KPU team and on behalf of the entire Dooley family, we congratulate all the participants of this year's event. We also want to thank Coaches Stephon Wilson and Nathan Randall, as well as the men's basketball team and the entire KPU Athletics department for celebrating the life of our special Pat."

KPU has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for more than 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,500 students annually have a choice from over 200 programs, including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.

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For more information about the KPU Eagles, contact:
Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kpu.ca

For more information about KPU, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kpu.ca