A Fourth-Quarter Thriller: St. George’s Holds Off Belmont to Advance to Tonight's Semi-Finals

St. George’s Saints v. Belmont Bulldogs

December 12, 2025

The Belmont Bulldogs have made the trip to Vancouver from Victoria with hopes of playing against top-quality Lower Mainland teams and testing their squad early in the season. Well, if that’s what they wished for, that’s exactly what they’re getting—matching up on this Friday morning against the current 4A 7th-ranked St. George’s Saints!

The Saints are looking to test Belmont’s sea legs early, immediately coming out in a full-court zone D and then backing into a high-pressure half-court zone. The energy levels are extremely high from both teams, countering the pressure by attacking off the break. Three minutes into this game and we’ve barely seen anything resembling a half-court set. The Saints are showing a balanced attack, with solid height throughout the lineup and everyone ready to hit the ground running. The Dawgs, on the other hand, appear very comfortable behind the arc, with #9 Bradley knocking down another triple to bring them within five.

The Saints have a deep bench—eight or so players—and thus far Head Coach Guy DaSilva is not afraid to mix up their looks and keep the legs fresh.

End of first quarter: Saints 23 – Bulldogs 15.

The Saints’ full-court pressure is paying dividends, forcing the Bulldogs into turnovers in their own half and creating great opportunities on the offensive end. #9 Bradley continues to find his scoring chances and keep Belmont within striking distance. A couple of minutes into the second quarter, the Bulldogs have cut the lead to four. A tough bucket inside from #13 Jawbone gets this down to a single-possession game.

St. George’s calls a timeout to regroup and catch their breath, hoping to regain momentum after Belmont’s strong run. The Bulldogs have other plans: after a couple of nifty finishes at the hoop, they earn their first lead of the game, 27–25. #5 Urban has been a consistent offensive presence for the Saints, knocking down a deep three. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are using their athleticism to break down defenders off the perimeter and finish inside, even with Saints bodies up and challenging.

#10 Bekkering has been a beast on the offensive glass—grabbing his teammates’ misses and any of his own.

Halftime score: Belmont 39 – St. George’s 35.

Halftime Fact #1: St. George’s is home to one of the largest rowing programs in Western Canada… but today the Saints are proving they can run just as well as they row.

Halftime Fact #2: Langford, where Belmont is located, has consistently ranked among the fastest-growing cities in Canada over the past decade—often cracking the top five nationally during multiple census cycles.

We can expect the Saints to try to recreate the tone they set early in the game—aggressive defense that let their offense flow naturally. They’ll be looking to one of their leaders, #1 Roman, to set that tone early in the second half. After a tough bucket at the rim and two free throws following an intentional foul, he has his team back up a couple of points a few minutes into the third quarter.

The Saints put together a strong run, leaning on a balanced, team-wide attack. Another deep ball from #5 Urban gives them a double-digit lead late in the third. The Bulldogs are working hard to keep this game within single digits, but St. George’s is making a strong push to put this out of reach before the fourth. #1 for the Saints puts together his own 5-0 run with an and-1 followed by another finish at the rim. The momentum is swinging toward St. George’s, with Grade 10 youngster Raehann earning meaningful minutes as the quarter winds down. The Saints hold a 10-point lead heading into the final frame.

End of third quarter: Saints 65 – Bulldogs 55.

With 8 minutes to go and a spot in tonight’s semifinal on the line, St. George’s now leads 72–59. Their defense forces Belmont deep into the shot clock; the Bulldogs get an offensive rebound and put-back, but Saints #1—on an absolute tear to start the fourth—responds immediately with an and-1, converting the free throw. On the next play, the Saints force a turnover, and a slick backdoor pass from #24 to #10 pushes the lead to 16—their largest of the game. #10 then capitalizes on another Belmont turnover and drains a three. With 6 minutes left, the Saints lead by 19, prompting a Belmont timeout to regroup.

Belmont comes out of the timeout with purpose—a quick basket and a forced turnover lead to another score, cutting the lead to 13. St. George’s Coach Guy DaSilva responds by calling a timeout of his own and sending all five starters back in. Belmont’s #3 then drains a three to bring the Island squad back within 10 with just under five minutes remaining.

With 2:30 to go, the Saints lead by eight and take another timeout. Belmont drains a long two—they’re not going away quietly. Saints #1 attacks twice, grabbing his own offensive rebound between attempts, but Belmont’s interior defense holds firm. The Bulldogs get a steal from the Saints’ guards and convert the easy lay-in, bringing the game within four against the provincially ranked St. George’s Saints.

With 10 seconds left, Belmont’s #3 drills a long three, bringing the score to 86–83 Saints. Belmont fouls St. George’s #3 intentionally, sending him to the line—and he calmly goes 2-for-2 to seal the win.

Final Score: St. George’s 88 – Belmont 83.

Player of the Game: St George’s #1 R. Simmons