In the interzone playoffs, the Winkler Garden Valley Zodiaks edged the Brandon Crocus Plains Plainsmen 79-75 as Ian Milne scored 35. Matt DeGagne led the Plainsmen with 34. Zack McMillan added 18.
In the wildcard game, the Brandon Crocus Plains Plainsmen nipped the Winnipeg Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Hawks 78-76. The Hawks (coached by Ken Opalko, assistant Jon Goosen and Paul Doornbos) included Jack Sikaski, Adam Dobriansky, Tim Kostaniuk.
In the opening round: …………………………………………………… The 5th-seeded Winnipeg Kelvin Clippers whipped the 12th-seeded Brandon Crocus Plains Plainsmen 86-52. Matt DeGagne led the Plainsmen with 26. Keith Van Walleghem added 12. The Plainsmen (coached by Darren Hardy) also included Zach McMillan, David Sutherland, Travis McKim. …………………………………………………… The 6th-seeded Winnipeg Oak Park Raiders clipped the 11th-seed Winnipeg Sisler Spartans 71-59. The Spartans (coached by Scott Martin and P Tynes) include Chris Ramos, Steven Oliver-Job, Jordan Nery, Lucky Montierro, Darrel Pineda, Nathanael Negrych, Josel Genido, Dave Bagay, Jason Kiesman, Varinder Brar, Xavier Smith, Jeremy Botelo, Adrian Eisma and Crisan Jacinto. …………………………………………………… The 7th-seeded J.H. Bruns Broncos defeated the 10th-seeded Winnipeg Miles Macdonell Buckeyes 70-63. The Buckeyes (coached by Jeff Shaddock and Martin Riley) included Nate Angus-Jackman, Robert Tibbs, Royce Finley, Varinder Hare, Adam Dyck, Tyler Kohut, Graham Bargan, Rory Christie, Jon Cade, Brandon Jordan, Jesse Panciera, Nic Geddert and Matt Devaney. …………………………………………………… The 8th-seeded Winnipeg Silver Heights Huskies nipped the 9th-seeded Winnipeg Gordon Bell Panthers 72-69. The Panthers (coached by Wally Chubaty and Bob Reid) included Owen Toews, Jordan Kovacs.
In the quarterfinals, the 3rd-seeded Winkler Garden Valley Zodiacs clipped the 6th-seeded Winnipeg Oak Park Raiders 76-65. The Raiders (coached by Randy Kusano, assisted by Spiros Kavadas and Darren Klapak) included Sean Robertson, Junard Augustin, Josh Gatta, Ryan Roper, Dean Semeniano, Justin Tipan, Aaron Zak, Sean MacKenzie, Neil Dyck, Cole Borland, Steve Toews and Dallas Bosko.
The 7th-seeded Winnipeg J.H. Bruns Broncos stunned the 2nd-seeded Winnipeg Fort Richmond Centurions 69-63. The Centurions included Mike Pawlyshyn, Danny Atwell, Tarik Tokar.
The 4th-seeded Winnipeg Glenlawn Lions dispatched the 5th-seeded Winnipeg Kelvin Clippers 73-69. The Clippers (coached by Chris Young and Andrew Forsythe) included Josh Sjoberg, Damir Osmanovic, Buisi Okwumabua, Eric Reid, Toshio Nishimura, Matan Gamliel, Kasey Batson, Will Krahn, Andrew Francis, Ira Kaye, Don Oramasionwu and Cody Somersall.
In the last quarterfinal, the top-seeded Winnipeg Garden City Fighting Gophers edged the 8th-seeded Winnipeg Silver Heights Huskies 79-74. The Huskies (coached by Kirby Schepp, assisted by Mike Flett and Chris Byrnes) included Ralfted Santos, Jason Conrad, Stefan Aarnio, Brett Kolesnik, Joey Walker, Gene Watson, Kyle Owen, James McGill, Moreno Alberti, Jordan Hutsal, David Rodrigues, Tim Rossy, Craig Penniston and Steve DeRuiter.
In the semis, the 3rd-seeded Winkler Garden Valley Zodiacs defeated the 7th-seeded J.H. Bruns Broncos 69-64. Garden Valley led 34-29 at the half. Ian Milne led the Zodiacs with 17 points, including 8-11 from the line. Jonathan Enns and Trent Krahn each added 16, Diego Loez Toboada added 13, including a trio from beyond the arc, James Shiels 5 and Steve Wall 2, while Devin Loewen, Marc Wiebe, Francis Letkemen, Derek Giesbrecht and Brent Klassen were scoreless. Cyril Indome led J.H. Bruns with 20. Chris Woodward added 17, Garett Anderson 9, David Gray 7, Steve McCabe 5, Dan Funk 2, Mike Trunzo 2 and Rick Bussoli 2, while Chris Farkas, Dale Carruthers, Jared Parsaga, Tim Matsubara and Troy Thompson were scoreless. The Zodiacs, competing in their first year at the 4A level, led 34-29 at the half on a late 9-4 run. The two teams were never more than a few points apart the rest of the way. A Diego Leoz Toboada three-pointer gave Garden Valley a 63-57 lead with 2:16 left and the Zodiacs iced it at the line. “It’s a miracle, really, we’re a small town and we actually got to the finals,” Garden Valley guard Jonathan Enns told the Winnipeg Free Press. “We’ve been working really hard this season, we really wanted to be in the final. We’re going to have to focus on rebounding, we have the guys down low to do it and hopefully we can pull it off.”
In the other semi, the 4th-seeded Winnipeg Glenlawn Lions defeated the top-seeded Winnipeg Garden City Fighting Gophers 67-61 despite trailing 33-27 at the half. Cam Hornby led the Lions with 27 points. Pat Daniels added 19, Nick Vujadin 6, Scott Jones 4, Karl Smith 4, Marc Martin 4 and Alex Purvis-Collins 3, while Mohamed Ali, Tristan Steadman, Ken Grayson and Paul Ormasionwu were scoreless. Rhodley Lazaga paced the Golden Gophers with 19. Myron Dean added 18, Bryce Hoyle 12, Brad Naron 5, A.J. Moneton 4 and Aminder Singh 3, while Sidney Ogungbemi-Jackson, Denis Halvadzija, Kurtis Robb, Pat Okoro, Jerrick Celestine, James Owen, Mike Paterson, Sean Berman and Jesse Magyar Chapiel were scoreless. The Fighting Gophers were up 33-27 at the half, but a 17-2 run gave the Lions a 51-41 lead with just over ten minutes remaining in the game. A runner by guard Rhodney Lozaga got the Fighting Gophers to within three points with 1:57 left but two costly turnovers and some timely foul shooting sealed the deal for the Lions. “Now we’re in the final and it’s the first time in 37 years we’re in the final. I don’t think we’re going to settle for anything else than winning it all,” Glenlawn coach Minich Nowrang told the Winnipeg Free Press. Pat Daniels said “at halftime, we pretty much said we’re not going home. We’re just a persistent team and we’ll never go away. This team has so much heart and we’re so happy to be in the final.”
In the final, the 4th-seeded Winnipeg Glenlawn Lions defeated the 3rd-seeded Winkler Garden Valley Zodiacs 75-71. The Lions led 45-42 at the half. Cam Hornby scored 30, including five from beyond the arc, as well as 6 assists. Kael Smith added 20 including a pair from beyond the arc, along with 12 boards. Nick Vujodin scored 12, Pat Daniels 8, Kris Geyson 2 and Alex Purvis-Collins 2, while Scott Jones, Mohamed Ali, Triston Steadman, Paul Ormasionwu, Marc Martin and Alex Persowich were scoreless. Ian Milne paced the Zodiacs with 36 on 12-15 from the line. Paraguay exchange student Diego Loez Toboada added 16, James Shiels 6, Jonathan Enns 5, Trent Krahn 4, Mark Wiebe 2 and Steve Wall 2, while Devin Loewen, Francis Letkemen; Derek Geisbrecht, Brent Klassen, Scott Peters and Mitch Groening were scoreless. The victory marked the first time since 1967 that the Lions had captured a provincial title. With Hornby hitting four from beyond the arc, the Lions ripped off a 20-6 run to take a 45-29 at the half. The Lions maintained a double-digit lead until three minutes to play when Diego Leoz Toboada hit a trey. He added another from beyond the arc and Hornby hit a pair from beyond the line and then James Shiels nailed a trey to cut the margin to four with 1:12 to play. Toboada then added two free throws but Glenlawn guard Pat Daniels iced the win with a pair from the line and six seconds on the clock. Lions coach Minich Nowrang noted “we’ve had games where we’ve been in similar situations and we just gutted it out. And that’s what we did tonight, we just gutted it out. We believed in each other. Nowrang added that winning the school’s first title in 37 years was a particular treat. “I went to Glenlawn and I’m so happy to do it for our school. I had a hard time as a player. I wish we could have been here. I just like bringing it home for us.” Glenlawn guard Cam Hornby was elated. “It’s one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had with basketball. Everyone stepped up huge. We had a big first half but No. 4 Pat Daniel made those great free throws in the end to ice the game. It was hard that got us here. We wanted this from the beginning of the year. A lot of teams say their goal is to make the final four but ours was to win and we poured all of our heart into it.” Kael Smith said “we just feel incredible; this team has got a lot of heart. Making a little history, it feels great. We all came together and held on. We really wanted this,” Smith told the Winnipeg Free Press. “It feels good. Our whole team worked well together and came through.” Nowrang called Smith and Hornby the “dynamic duo. They’ve been the difference for us all year. … (Hornby) can handle the ball so well and is so quick that he can get to anywhere he wants on the floor. We have the two best skilled basketball players in the province as far as I’m concerned.” Hornby said “it’s great for Kael and the other grade 12s (on the squad). Not many players get a chance to win a provincial championship. You can’t do anything without your team. It was a great experience to play with guys like that.” The Lions finished (32-5) on the season.
The all-tournament team featured: MVP Cam Hornby (Glenlawn); Kael Smith (Glenlawn); Ian Milne (Garden Valley); Cyril Indome (J.H. Bruns); Myron Dean (Garden City); and Trent Krahn (Garden Valley)
The co-bronze medalist Winnipeg J.H. Bruns Broncos: Troy Thompson; Chris Woodward; Steve McCabe; Garrett Anderson; David Gray; Tim Matsubara; Dale Carruthers; Mike Trunzo; Garett Ancelin; Dan Funk; Jared Pursaga; Chris Farkas; Rick Bussoli; Cyril Indome; coach Dick Potter; assistant Ben Trunzo; assistant Justin Potter
The co-bronze medalist Winnipeg Garden City Fighting Gophers: Sidney Ogungbemi-Jackson; Dennis Halvadzija; A.J. Monton; Kurtis Robb; Myron Dean; Jerrick Celestino; James Owen; Amider Singh; Bryce Hoye; Mike Peterson; Brad Naron; Rhodley Lozaga; Sam Berman; Pat Okoro; Jessie Magyar-Chapiel; coach Phil Penner; assistant Andrew Langtry; assistant Chester Wojciechowski;
The silver medalist Winkler Garden Valley Zodiacs: Ian Milne; Deigo Loez Toboada; James Shiels; Jonathan Enns; Trent Krahn; Mark Wiebe; Steve Wall; Devon Loewen; Frances Letkeman; Derek Geisbrecht; Brent Klassen; Scott Peters; Mitch Groening; Brent Klassen; coach John Klassen; assistant John Friesen
The gold medalist Winnipeg Glenlawn Lions: Cam Hornby, Kael Smith, Nick Vujodin; Pat Daniels; Scott Jones; Mohamed Ali; Triston Steadman; Kris Geyson; Paul Ormasionwu; Alex Purvis-Collins; Marc Martin; Alex Persowich; coach Minish Nowrang; assistant Greg Daniels; assistant Chad McDowell; manager Mark Giasson