Calvin Somers limps across the hardwood floor with cane in hand and takes a seat at the bench, a position he is unfamiliar with.
Teammate Ben Reddy catapults himself on his crutches to take his place alongside, equally as uncomfortable.
The two Lambrick Park basketball stars are there to show support for their Lions鈥� teammates.
Expected to be leaders on the double-A senior boys team 鈥� along with Calvin鈥檚 twin, Austin 鈥� the season all changed within the first week of play. In an instant, both Calvin and Reddy suffered season-ending knee injuries, requiring surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage.
鈥淲e had Calvin for like eight minutes and Ben for maybe two games. They didn鈥檛 actually play together,鈥� said Lions head coach Ed Somers, who is also father of the twins. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe that could ever happen to any team, a high school team particularly. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever seen anything like it.鈥�
But what ensued is even more unimaginable.
The Lions battled on to become first city and then Island champions and now carry the No. 2 seed into provincials, which begin in Langley today at the single-, double-, triple- and quadruple-A levels. Cross-town St. Michaels University School 鈥� defeated by Lambrick Park in both the city and Island finals 鈥� is No. 5 and the Shawnigan Lake Stags are No. 11 at double-A. Oak Bay is No. 3 at quadruple-A, with Cowichan at No. 10, while Wellington is No. 6, Mark Isfeld sits No. 8 and Nanaimo District is No. 12 in triple-A.
There is no greater story than how the Lions have clawed back from adversity, losing Calvin in Game 1 and Reddy within the same week as he joined the team after the volleyball season.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had our kids committed. Some of our kids have stepped up and almost rededicated and proved themselves due to the physical losses of Calvin and Ben. Not many teams have suffered that kind of loss. Two experienced players who were ready to go,鈥� said coach Somers.
鈥淚 think we鈥檝e finally got there. It took a long time to develop what we were going to do,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e had to change our style of play. We were going to be perimeter-oriented, now it鈥檚 different. Austin is guarded quite heavily and specifically, so we鈥檝e come up with different techniques.鈥�
And Calvin and Reddy have been right there to support their teammates.
鈥淚 am so proud of this team. Everybody,鈥� said Reddy. 鈥淭his is the best of a bad situation. It sucks for me and Calvin, but these guys pulling together makes it a lot easier where we can just focus on our rehab.
鈥淚t hasn鈥檛 been a fun experience,鈥� added Reddy, who tore his right knee while Calvin damaged his left. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e always there for the team and these guys have been working their butts off all year. It鈥檚 been good to watch, but you鈥檙e begging to get on the court. Especially for two guys who have been working hard all summer. It鈥檚 our passion and we get injured early on.鈥�
The loss of the two 17-year-olds 鈥� Reddy in Grade 12 and Calvin in Grade 11 鈥� was immense, but the Lions have roared on.
鈥淲e鈥檙e No. 2 in sa国际传媒, so imagine what we could have been, but we can鈥檛 be thinking that now,鈥� said Calvin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very disappointing because this was supposed to be our year, but I guess things change. It鈥檚 been a frustrating year in that sense, but this team has really risen to the level that we wanted.鈥�
With the two reduced to spectators and cheerleaders.
鈥淚t is so hard to watch, but it鈥檚 been an exciting year. I think we have a chance to win it, for sure,鈥� said Calvin. 鈥淭he bench has really stepped up and it鈥檚 fun to watch.鈥�
Led by coach Somers, who would love nothing more than to have his son 鈥� a second-team all-star in just Grade 9 in Lambrick鈥檚 2014 sa国际传媒 championship season 鈥� and Reddy back.
鈥淚 watch Calvin shoot off one foot [at practice] and hit three-point shots and think, 鈥業sn鈥檛 there a way? Can I get doctor clearance here?鈥� 鈥� Somers said with a chuckle.
He is truly delighted with how the team has come together.
鈥淚 think it took us a month to get to that reality that this is who we are and what can we become? Different guys show you something and you start thinking differently as a coach. 鈥榃hat else can I do and what else can this player bring us?鈥� 鈥�
The Lions stepped up one-by-one.
鈥淭atum [Montague] ended up getting a second all-star nod at Islands,鈥� the coach said proudly. 鈥淭re [Crust] hit a three-point shot against SMUS in the Island final. That was the first three-point shot that he took this season, and it went in.
鈥淪o maybe we鈥檒l try a second one at provincials,鈥� coach Somers added with another chuckle.
ON THE COURT
Today鈥檚 schedule for Island teams taking part in senior boys鈥� provincial championships in Langley.
AAAA
鈥� No. 4 Oak Bay vs. No. 13 Yale, 3:30 p.m.
鈥� No. 10 Cowichan vs. No. 7 W.J. Mouat, noon
AAA
鈥� No. 8 Mark Isfeld vs. No. 9 Duchess Park, 8:30 a.m.
鈥� No. 12 Nanaimo District vs. No. 5 St. Thomas More, 5:15 p.m.
鈥� No. 6 Wellington vs. No. 11 Lord Byng, 6:45 p.m.
AA
鈥� No. 2 Lambrick Park vs. No. 15 Smithers, 8:15 p.m.
鈥� No. 5 SMUS vs. No. 12 Kelly Road, 3:30 p.m.
鈥� No. 11 Shawnigan Lake vs. No. 6 Pacific Academy, 1:45 p.m.
A
鈥� No. 5 Duncan Christian vs. No. 12 Immaculata, 10:15 a.m.
鈥� No. 14 St. Andrew鈥檚 vs. No. 3 St. Ann鈥檚 Academy, 3:30 p.m.
