The Belmont Bulldogs are in the win column at the B.C. 4A high school boys basketball championships.
After suffering a 58-47 loss to No. 5-seeded Holy Cross Crusaders from Surrey in their critical opening game on Wednesday, the Bulldogs, seeded 12th in the 16-team draw, beat Yale from Abbotsford 83-78 Thursday morning.
The Bulldogs' Dontae Bull hit both of his free throws with a handful of seconds remaining to salt away the win.
Belmont will play the winner between ninth-ranked Semiahmoo from Surrey and 16th-ranked Mount Baker from Cranbrook on Friday morning.
The library at Belmont secondary was full of students watching Thursday's game live on a big screen via live stream.
The opening game loss means the Bulldogs can finish no higher than ninth place, even if they win three straight games. Ironically, a team that wins its first game to stay in the championship side of the draw, but loses its next three, will finish eighth.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com