The Titans’ inaugural season has come to an end, and while the team suffered some bumps and bruises on the court, the organization considers year 1 to be an unmitigated success.

It was an exciting year, which began with the signing of some well-known B.C. basketball talent, including Trinity Western’s Brian Banman, UBC’s Matt Rachar, and the University of Victoria’s Brandon Ellis.

These Canadian standouts were joined by NCAA starters - Jessan Gray, Kyle Keyes and Josh Washington – as the Titans embarked on a three game road trip to start their season.

And what a start it was! The Titans went unbeaten in their first three games, defeating the USA All-Stars in a three game set down in Portland, Oregon.

However, the games that followed proved to be tougher, and the Titans learned first-hand the level at which they needed to compete in order to be successful at the professional level.  A tough stretch of close losses to very good teams eventually led to an 8 game losing streak, and the Titans found themselves at the season’s halfway mark saddled with a losing record of 3-8.

Sensing that changes were needed, the Titans juggled their line-up and welcomed some prominent new roster acquisitions, including former Olympian and SFU standout Richard Anderson.  Titans head coach and general manager David Petroziello found the right combination to get the Titans solidly headed in the right direction, and made the team a force to reckon with in the second half of the ‘09 campaign. “The biggest reason for our turnaround, in my opinion, is that the team never let our defeats on the court translate into defeatism off of it.  We maintained our poise and kept working in order to put ourselves in a position to be successful – success we eventually enjoyed.”

Among the emerging players was North Vancouver’s James Hudson, a University of Alberta alumnus.  After returning from his season in Germany, Hudson quickly developed a feel for the much quicker IBL style, and soon became a starting guard for the Titans.

Add to that the increased presence and down low tenacity of Simon Fraser’s Emmy Unaegbu, and you have a Titans squad who were starting to gel and learn what it takes to win in the IBL.

One of the ’09 season’s highlights was the Vancouver Titans game against the Japan Tornadoes. Fans packed the bleachers of the Langley Events Centre to witness the international affair. On a night of events celebrating Japanese culture, the hometown Titans won the game over the hoopsters from overseas, setting a franchise record for offensive output with 148 points.

The regular season wound down, and the Titans put together a number of impressive victories over top IBL teams. None were more impressive than a 117-106 road victory against the Vancouver (WA) Volcanoes, a team which finished the season with a solid 15-7 record.  The Titans found the winning touch at home as well, at one point winning three in a row in June.  Cheered on by the devoted Titans fans at the Langley Events Center, British Columbia’s pro basketball team was poised to make a big splash late in the year.

The Titans’ play down the stretch earned them earn a berth in the IBL playoffs. Fortified by the arrival of the CIS’s 2007 MVP, Casey Archibald of UBC, the Titans began their bid for post-season glory.

Despite a strong showing in the first half and a 2 point halftime lead, the Titans were forced to bow out in the first round of the IBL tournament after a defeat at the hands of the host Snohomish County Explosion, by a score of 124-111.  Snohomish would go on to eliminate the IBL’s #1 team, the Edmonton Energy the next night, making them 2-0 in the playoffs against the IBL’s Canadian teams.

Overall, the Titans’ first season was a resounding success. Not only did the players put on an entertaining contest night after night, and make the playoffs as an expansion franchise, but the Titans successfully brought the return of professional basketball to Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.  “We are excited about the future,” says head coach David Petroziello, “we feel this first year laid some solid groundwork upon which we can build the team, the brand, and our connections with the community so that the years to come only get better.  This is just the beginning!”

The Lower Mainland of B.C. has been a hotbed of hoops activity for many years, and the Titans are proud to have an opportunity to continue that legacy by providing a fast-paced, high-intensity environment for top Canadian players to develop their skills at the professional level here at home before pursuing basketball careers around the world.

And of course, none of the above would have been possible without the Vancouver Titans fans.  The entire Titans organization extends a hearty ‘THANK YOU’ to all the fans, staff, and volunteers who made this year possible.

Here’s to 2010 being even bigger and better.

Thank you for being part of the excitement, and let’s get ready for 2010!!