An Emotional Day on the Basketball Court

By Kelly Sharp

Pat Harris (closer yellow jersey) Avril Harris #1( yellow jersey)  defend against Royals

No question, this story had a Titans finish.  Pat Harris, who was instrumental in starting wheelchair basketball 25 years ago in Prince George, was back on the court alongside his son playing for the BC Wheelchair Basketball Division One Championship. The host Prince George Titans took on the Douglas College Royals to determine the provincial representative for next month’s Canadian wheelchair basketball club championship in Quebec City. For the just turned 16 year-old Avril Harris, it was a chance to play with his mentor at the highest club level of wheelchair basketball.  He was a win away from realizing a dream. As a young able bodied athlete he watched his Dad in a wheelchair build the Titans basketball program into the anchor of wheelchair sports in northern BC.

The gold medal game featured an all-star lineup, former world champs on both sides. Complementing the strong Prince George connection on the Titans was Patrick Anderson, formerly of Ontario now of Vancouver, arguably the world’s top wheelchair basketball player. The Vancouver based Royals carried a 52-51 lead over the Titans into the fourth quarter. Three consecutive baskets from Anderson gave the Titans a 3 point lead, but the Royals came back to tie it 62-62.  Prince George players Elisha Williams and Avril Harris sank critical baskets down the stretch. And a layup by Anderson punctuated the Titans triumph, 71-66 over the Douglas Royals. The Prince George Titans captured a first division one provincial wheelchair basketball title in seven years. Playing Coach Pat Harris is returning to the nationals, this time with his son on the same basketball court.

“Avril has been a gym rat, he has always been in the gym, he has always been around wheelchair basketball, he has been pushing the chair since he was old enough to sit in it.

So, it’s kind of a natural progression, but we did not push him into wheelchair basketball, he chose the sport. He likes the community, the friends he’s made and it’s an awesome opportunity for him to play at a high level and I am happy to be right along side him,”

“Now that were going as a family, it’s going to be a whole lot of fun being at a high competition with my dad,” Avril Harris said.

You could hear the sigh of relief from Nancy Harris, tourney chair of the provincials. A proud wife and mother who watched her boys share a BC championship in a sport that has meant so much.

Avril Harris and his Canada Winter Games wheelchair basketball teammates won the Division 2 title of the provincial wheelchair basketball finals, also held in Prince George.

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