It was the toughest of decisions for the the Moss family had to make when moving there family back to the Lower Mainland.
Brooke Moss was the senior boys basketball coach at Timberline and his son Tanner was a star player on the successful junior boys team that had just made a run at the provincials for the first time in the schools history.
“We thought long and hard if this was the time to move or wait out Tanner’s last couple years at Timberline,” said the senior Moss, “but after a long deliberation we made the move.”
Tanner headed to a perennial powerhouse of Terry Fox in Coquitlam where they finished third in the province in 2011.
“It’s like playing on a college team in high school,” says Brooke who was an assistant coach with the Terry Fox Ravens. “The regiment is tough as the Ravens play in summer leagues and follow that with six practices a week, two weight sessions and three - 6:30 a.m. shooting sessions. It’s gruelling and you are expected to be at every practice.”
The 2012 Ravens finished the season ranked fifth in the province and went into the provincial tournament March 13-17 in Langley with a 34-wins, nine-loss season. The Ravens beat Oak Bay in round 1 by 25 and then the #2 team in the Province Pitt Meadows 66 – 30 in the Elite 8.
“We had lost to both of these teams during the season, in fact, Oak Bay had handed us a beat-down at their gym early in the season just after we became # 1 in the province,” says Brooke.
“Their crowd was loud at their gym and chanted ‘Overrated,’ which we didn’t forget,” Brooke says with a laugh.
In The Final 4 ,Terry Fox was up against White Rock Christian and Tanner Moss showed what he can do from behind the three-point line hitting five consecutive trey bombs in the second quarter which helped the Ravens to an eight-point win and a showdown with Walnut Grove Gators in the final.
“It was a weird drive to the Langley event center for the final game, “ says Brooke, “we thought of all the players I coached and Tanner played with leading up to this point. I received many calls and text from all over the Island. It was a special day for sure.”
The final was one for the ages as 4,100 people came out to watch at the Langley event Center as Fox found themselves down by nine with three minutes left and after a 12-2 run by Fox and with 22 seconds left down by one.
The Ravens had the ball and took the final shot which hit iron and Tanner fought for what they are calling at Terry Fox “the biggest rebound in the school’s history” and came up with the ball passing off to Jessie Crookes who hit the winning basket with two seconds left on the clock.
“What a moment.So much work , so many ups and downs throughout the year and it was very neat that it wasn’t Tanner’s shot that he will be remembered for but a rebound,” Brooke says laughs .
Tanner ended the tourney with highest three-point shooting percentage in the provincials.
“I just wanted to take a moment and thank all our friends and family and especially the players at Sandowne elementary, Southgate Middle and Timberline for their friendships and their good wishes at this very exciting time for us,” Brooke says.