Britannia, a smallish AA school on Vancouver’s East Side, knocked off the larger (in both school size and the physical size of players) West Side AAA Blue Demons, a feat not even accomplished by the Britannia senior boys who were provincial AA Champions in 2008 and 2010. But the significance of the victory goes well beyond the execution of well taught basketball skills. It illustrates how a Downtown Eastside community can use basketball as a way to keep kids in school, to keep them engaged and off the streets, and to offer leadership back into their community.

Basketball in the DTES begins at the Strathcona Community Centre in weekend and after school programs under the tireless and watchful eyes of Ron Suzuki, the coordinator and 36-year parks board employee who regularly puts in 80-hour weeks. He had a vision that through basketball he could provide a physical outlet and re-establish and fortify Downtown Eastside pride.