Twenty four hours to tip off for Senior Boys Rainmakers at No Regrets Tourney

The Charles Hays Senior Boys Basketball team gets their first look at this years challenges from the Lower mainland and beyond as Mel and Ryan Bishop take the Makers' to North Vancouver and another year of competition in the Quinn Keast No Regrets tournament.

The event which started out as the North Shore Invitational over 25 years ago, became the 'No Regrets' Tourney in 2015 folded in as part of the focus for the Quinn Keast Foundation.

Over the years some of the most talented of BC High School basketballers have taken to the court with a roster of past participants that includes Steve Nash and Robert Sacré among others over the years.

You can learn more about the tournament here.

The Rainmakers have been part of the No Regrets for a number of years now and the event makes for an opportunity to showcase the talent of the north, while at the same time taking advantage of the high level of competition to get the season underway.

Many of the teams that take part in the No Regrets are often found on the Big Court in Langley in March as they claim their own spots in the Provincials each year.

Rainmakers head coach Mel Bishop provided some thoughts on the tournament for the preview notes from the tournament organizers, making note of the opportunity the event offers for the team.

“Coming from the north, where our closest competition is 100 miles away in Terrace, to stay competitive we have to travel south. Your tournament is always well run and organized and works out well for our schedule. So as a coaching team we are grateful to be a part of the tournament which helps us to grow and develop. 

 I know that the players enjoy the challenge and often some of the parents are able to make the trip south to watch which is a great experience for them. The parents and players work hard throughout the preseason and season fundraising so that we can attend two lower mainland tournaments each year.”

You can get the full preview from the No Regrets website here.

Last year the Makers successfully navigated the three days of No Regrets to grab a spot in the final, coming up just a bit short over eventual champion Handsworth who hail from the host community of North Vancouver.

Day one action features eight games, with Charles Hays taking on the Mount Boucherie Bears from Kelowna at 3:45 on Thursday afternoon.

The opening round of the No Regrets tournament hits the court on Thursday
(click to enlarge Day one schedule)

You can follow the Rainmakers in North Vancouver from the No Regrets website which will feature game wrap ups, scores, photos and much more as the tournament works its way towards the Saturday night Final.

For more notes on Charles Hays Sports see our archive page here.