For Amy Sprangers, playing in a high school basketball all-star game was a fitting way to say goodbye.
After all, most of the players in the game on Sunday (April 20) at the Langley Events Centre were opponents she has matched up with the past few years or teammates of hers from her time at both Holy Cross and the Team BC provincial program.
“It will be a chance to play together before we go off our separate ways,” said the 17-year-old Sprangers, last week, prior to the game.
In the fall, Sprangers — who graduates from Holy Cross in June — is off to the University of Victoria, where she will suit up for the Vikes basketball team.
“It was really great, the whole sense of basketball community has probably been one of the biggest factors about why I enjoyed playing for Holy Cross so much,” she said about her four years at the Surrey school.
The Langley teen — she turns 18 in August — had gone to Abbotsford’s St. Jean Brebeuf before switching schools.
And coming to the Crusaders program allowed her to play with the same group she had been with since Grade 6 at the club level.
“She has been a delight to coach,” said Holy Cross’ Steve Beauchamp, who has been her coach the past seven years, either at the club or high school level.
He enthused about Sprangers’ work ethic and versatility.
“She is very much the type of person who will accept any role to help the team,” he explained. “Just a really good, all-around player.”
Sprangers, a six-foot-one forward, does a little bit of everything up front, whether it be rebounding, pushing the ball in transition, hustling for loose balls, or just providing some intensity.
The Vikes are happy to add Sprangers to their mix and anticipate her making an immediate impact.
“Amy will add good size and experience for us up front,” said Victoria coach Dani Sinclair, in the press release announcing Sprangers’ commitment to Victoria.
“She is fundamentally very sound, has a great understanding of the game and is highly competitive.
“It is a great fit for her and for us and she has the potential to make an impact right away.”
Facing competition which is a few years older than she is will be a challenge, but nothing new for Sprangers.
Two summers ago, she helped Team BC win gold at the U17 national championships. She did so as a 15-year-old playing at a higher age group.
Sprangers is also no stranger to winning at the high school level.
In her Grade 11 year, the Crusaders captured the B.C. 2A girls high school provincial title. This past season, the program decided to take a step up and play at the 3A level — despite falling in the lower tier capacity — and Holy Cross was ranked No. 1 in the province heading into the provincial championships. But a one-point loss in the semifinals derailed their championship dreams, although the team did rebound to win the bronze medal.
“It was pretty tough, I have to admit,” Sprangers said about the semifinal defeat. “Losing by one is not what you expect, but ending your (high school) career with a win is always nice.”
