Chilliwack’s Ben Hagkull (facing camera) leads his B.C. Royals in a cheer before hitting the court at the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League nationals. Hagkull's crew finished third in the tournament. (Wheelchair Basketball Canada photo)

Chilliwack’s Ben Hagkull (facing camera) leads his B.C. Royals in a cheer before hitting the court at the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League nationals. Hagkull's crew finished third in the tournament. (Wheelchair Basketball Canada photo)

Chilliwack’s Ben Hagkull helps B.C. Royals win bronze at nationals

The wheelchair basketball star led his team into the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League tourney

Ben Hagkull and his B.C. Royals battled to bronze at the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League nationals, which were held April 26-28 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Hagkull’s crew bounced Saskatchewan 83-44 in the third place game, finishing the tournament with a 3-2 record.

It was an up-and-down process to get there.

The Royals started with a 74-66 win over Saskatchewan followed by a 63-54 defeat at the hands of Quebec’s Centre d’intégration à la vie active.

The Royals downed Alberta Northern Lights by an 82-63 count in the quarter-final round, but were knocked out of gold-medal contention when they fell 73-66 to Quebec’s Gladiateurs de Laval in a semi-final.

The Gladiateurs went on to win the tournament, taking out Toronto’s Variety Village by a score of 87-61 in the final.

Hagkull’s teammate, Victoria native Deion Green, earned a first-team all-star selection.

Chilliwack Progress