The University of the Fraser Valley men’s basketball program has announced its first Class of 2017 recruit: Harsimran Bhullar out of Panorama Ridge Secondary in Surrey.
Bhullar, a high-flying 6’ 6” guard, had an outstanding high school career with the Panorama Ridge Thunder, and he’ll join the Cascades this fall.
“We’re very excited to have Harsimran join our team,” UFV head coach Adam Friesen said.
“He’s very gifted physically, but also has a real mind for the game and a willingness to learn and to work. His ball-handling ability and playmaking skills are things that definitely jump out at you, and I think they’ll translate to the university level.”
Bhullar spent his formative years playing soccer before taking up hoops in Grade 8. During his Grade 9 year, he helped the Panorama Ridge junior boys squad to Surrey city and Fraser Valley regional titles, and a silver medal at the provincial championships.
He has spent the past three seasons with the Panorama Ridge senior boys team, and in 2015-16, helped lead the squad to its first-ever B.C. AAAA championship berth.
Seeded No. 15 in the 16-team draw, the Thunder upset the No. 2 Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs in the first round, en route to a seventh-place finish. Panorama Ridge fell just short of a return trip to provincials this season – they won their first two games at the Fraser Valley championship, but dropped their next two and were eliminated in the double-knockout tourney.
Bhullar plans to study business at UFV.
“It’s a young team (at UFV) – I know quite a few of the guys and I’m comfortable here,” said Bhullar, who counts a first team all-star nod at the Surrey RCMP Basketball Classic and an MVP award at the Yale Secondary tournament among his individual accolades. “As the years go on, I think we can be a really good team.”
