The Elgin Park Orcas is a three-time champion of the Surrey Firefighters Goodwill Sr. Girls Basketball Classic and is hoping four times is lucky as the team defends its title at the Classic this week.

Meanwhile, for the first time in the tournament’s history Surrey teams will face an international competitor. The Australian Blackburn Vikings had been looking for a girl’s tournament in the Vancouver area and is playing in the Classic.

Surrey Firefighters is sponsoring the Goodwill Classic -- a tournament usually between Surrey secondary high schools -- for the ninth year. Several $500 bursaries are awarded to Surrey seniors at the tournament. Seniors apply for the bursaries by outlining their volunteer work, including grade transcripts and references in their application, and the school board and firefighter representatives then chose bursary recipients from the applicants.

This year, the tournament runs from January 6 to 10 at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary.

• For more information on the tournament history and game schedules, as well as a great historical perspective slide show, visit: www.surreyfirefighters.com/goodwill_basketball_tournament.html

Last Updated: January 7, 2009