Churchill's Lopez named B.C. AAA senior boys coach of the year
Bulldogs named most inspirational team and Mindy Minhas the most inspirational player
Rick Lopez, seen at the centre of a Bulldog’s huddle in a Lower Mainland zone game at Kitsilano secondary Feb. 27, was named the 2013 AAA senior boys basketball coach of the year.
Photograph by: Justine Leung , Vancouver Courier
Churchill head coach Rick Lopez wore a navy blue letterman sweater with a giant “C” on the front and white stripes down the sleeves Saturday night as he stood courtside for the start of the B.C. Boys championship final.
The Bulldogs finished 13th overall, but Lopez was requested on the sidelines for the start of the title game.
Lopez was called down in front of 2,500 basketball fans at the Langley Events Centre and at the first television time out was presented with the Ken Wright Award as the 2013 coach of the year. Churchill, widely respected for a coaching staff led by Lopez and a bourgeoning boys basketball program, qualified for the B.C. championships for the third time in school history.
The accolades didn’t stop there for the Marpole high school. Mindy Minhas, an outstanding player who next year will join one of B.C. most talented senior classes ever, was named the most inspirational player of the tournament.
Finally, the Churchill Bulldogs were named the most inspirational team of the AAA senior boys basketball championship.
