Spirit in the Stands, Poise on the Court: Handsworth Royals Sr Girls Outlast Kits Blue Demons 62–53
Handsworth Royals vs Kitsilano Blue Demons
Dec 11, 2025
The first half between the Handsworth Royals and the Kitsilano Blue Demons had all the energy of a marquee early-season matchup, and the packed Handsworth gym—featuring 400 loud, blue-and-gold Royals students— amplified every run, every basket, and every momentum shift.
Unlike a defensive grind, this one was back and forth from the opening tip, with both teams trading buckets and answering each other in stride. Kits leaned heavily on their noticeable height advantage, reminiscent of how teams in the WNBA rely on dominant interior presences like Brittney Griner or Teaira McCowan, to control the paint. Kits’ starting centre Stewart fit that mold early, using her size to seal defenders and create high-percentage looks that kept the Kits in the flow offensively.
Still, the Royals didn’t blink. Avery Schmidt led the way for Handsworth, impacting every facet of the game—scoring, rebounding, handling pressure, and setting the tone with her pace and poise. Behind her all-around effort, the Royals edged out a 19–18 lead after Q1.
Q2 continued the same pattern—momentum swings, quick answers on both ends, and a crowd rising to its feet with every Royals push. Despite Kits’ size and Stewart’s continued presence inside, Handsworth’s energy and composure carried them into the break with a 31–27 halftime lead.
Halftime random thought: When was the Royals’ Senior Girls’ program at its best?
With back to back AAA championships in 2009 and 2010 its hard to argue against this reign of supremacy in High School basketball.
Q3 opened with noticeably slower pace, as fatigue set in on both sides after an up-tempo, back-and-forth first half. The Royals and Blue Demons continued to battle, but neither could push the lead beyond single digits for long. Every run felt earned, with players digging deep to manufacture offense in a game that had already demanded so much energy.
The atmosphere stayed electric, thanks in part to the arrival of super fan “Crazy P,” who roamed the sideline, fired up the students and kept the gym buzzing whenever the intensity dipped. His presence helped sustain the Royals’ momentum during key stretches when Kitsilano threatened to steal it away.
Kits continued to lean on their height advantage—much like WNBA teams that use their interior size to wear opponents down late in games—and slowly chipped away at the Royals’ lead, trimming it to just four points midway through the fourth quarter. Stewart remained a steady force inside, forcing Handsworth to stay locked in defensively to protect the advantage they’d built.
But once again, Avery Schmidt rose to the moment. The Royals’ leader all night, she steadied the offense, made timely plays and finished as the game’s leading scorer with 15 points. With her composure guiding them, the Royals closed the game on an efficient stretch and secured a 62–53 victory in front of a thrilled home crowd.
A strong early-season test, a packed gym, and a first-round victory—exactly the kind of night the Royals will want to build on as their season continues.
Final Score: Handsworth 62, Kitsilano 53
No Regrets