Royals men’s basketball finishes with special accomplishment
By Davie Wong, Sports Editor
The Royals may have only played one game over the weekend, but it was a big one for the team. The squad faced off against the CBC Bearcats, who were hungry for their first win. Unknown to many of the players on the court, one particular player was on the verge of something very special.
It didn’t take long for the Royals to get the lead once the game started. Twenty points into the first quarter ensured them a hefty seven-point lead. A strong 21-point follow-up gave the Royals a 14-point lead headed into halftime, 41-27. The second half saw the Bearcats put in a strong effort to come back, but the Royals were just on another level. The Bearcats put down 35 in the second, but couldn’t match the Royals scoring prowess.
At the end of four quarters, it was 84-62 in favour of the Royals. It was a strong team effort from the Royals. Kameron Johnson and Noah DeRappaard-Yuswack finished with 10 points each. Reese Morris had 14, but no one was even close to Grant Campbell, who led his squad with 31 points.
The 31 points by itself was special, but these 31 in particular meant something big for Campbell and the Royals. His score took his PACWEST career total to 1,282 points, the most in PACWEST history. In other words, with his 31-point performance, Campbell became the all-time leading scorer in the PACWEST, a career feat reserved for the best of best.
His legacy as a Royal and a PACWEST great will forever be solidified thanks to his five years of consistent excellence. That makes the win over the Bearcats, and in particular, 31 points, so much more special. The Royals remain in second place with a record of 4-1, two wins behind the league leading 6-0 VIU Mariners.
