Ankita Chopra has turned many heads throughout her young basketball career, enough so that it's forged a path to Canada's highest level of university sport.
The Burnaby Central Secondary student has committed to the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) once she graduates in the summer and will look to tear up the court with the Cascades for the 2024-25 season.
The 5'8" all-star guard put pen to paper to join the green and white on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
She said she's "beyond grateful" for the chance to share her passion for basketball with a school that's currently having a dominant season in Canada West and U-SPORTS.
"I saw something special at UFV and I wanted to be a part of it," Chopra explained in a team release. The Cascades are 13-3 sitting fourth in the conference standings.
"The team emphasis on not just athletic prowess, but also discipline, hard work and character, showed me a path I wanted to take to becoming a better player and person."
Chopra, also a club member of Excel Basketball, added her time at UFV will be very important as she wishes to "create a legacy" for future athletes.
"My goal for my time with the Cascades is to leave an everlasting impact. I want to embrace challenges on a constant pursuit of improvement and reaching my highest potential. I want to lead by example while proudly representing the Cascades. I want to unlock a version of myself that I never knew existed, the best version of myself."
But before moving up to the next level, Chopra will look to leave a final stamp on her time with Burnaby Central.
Last year, she led the Wildcats to a bronze medal at the 2023 B.C. girls basketball provincial championships — the first known medal for for the girls program in the AAAA division since 1948.
Chopra took control of the third-place game, leading the scoresheet with 21 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. She was selected as a first-team all-star for the tournament.
As of this publication, Central is at the top of the Burnaby New Westminster Schools Athletic Association (BNWSAA) senior girls standings with a record of 6-1.
Should the Wildcats have a successful local and regional postseason, they'll find themselves back at the provincial championships set for Feb. 28 to March 2.
