BATHURST, N.B. - A boys high school basketball team in New Brunswick continued its amazing run Saturday, gaining a berth in the provincial finals just 13 months after a horrific highway crash claimed the lives of seven team members.

Cheered on by 300 fans in a packed home gym, the Bathurst Phantoms beat the MacAdam Warriors 74-62 to capture the sectional title.

"It was very emotional, everybody came flowing onto the court," said assistant coach Mike Parkhill. "It's what you live for, to win something like that."

The victory brought the Phantoms' winning streak to 26, an incredible accomplishment considering what the team has been through.

The high school's basketball program was shut down after the fatal van crash on Jan. 12, 2008 in northern New Brunswick, which also resulted in the death of the former coach's wife.

The reconstituted, eight-member team came together only last fall.

The victory Saturday was all-the-more remarkable given that the team is recovering from the shock of seeing its first-year coach, Alan Doucet, collapse unconscious during practice last Tuesday.

Doucet, who was taking part in a four-on-four drill at the time, was later reported in stable condition in intensive care.

The responsibility for holding the team together in the face of this latest heartbreak fell to Parkhill and his fellow assistant Brad McLellan.

Parkhill said all three coaches have marvelled at the young team's ability to focus on playing given the atmosphere around them.

"We've been very proud of the fact they maintain their composure for a young team," Parkhill said prior to the match with MacAdam High. "They've done that this year time and time again ... I guess they just know how to win."

The new team returned to the court in the Class AA division, dropping one level below where it had previously competed.

Parkhill said with the shadow of the tragedy looming over the players, the coaches quickly realized what their job would be.

"We tried to make a decision as a coaching staff early in the year that this season was going to be about basketball and moving forward and concentrating on playing the games," he said.

With only two players with varsity experience, including one member of last year's Class AAA squad, Parkhill said the approach has proven beneficial.

"I think that's been the key," he said. "They've focused on moving forward and while not forgetting what happened last year, I think part of the grieving process for the players was to move on and come back to the court and play again."

The Phantoms will now make the trip to Fredericton for next Saturday's provincial final.

Parkhill said it will be the culmination of what the team has been working toward, mainly "having fun and enjoying the game of basketball."

"If you know anything about New Brunswick basketball, the chance to play in the Aitken Centre is a big deal to these kids."