A pre-tournament controversy raged over Woodstock’s use of players Ronald Tommy and David Slipp. Both had enrolled in university, Tommy at Mount Allison and Slipp at New Brunswick but during the fall term, they were advised by university administrators to return to high school to upgrade standards. They re-enrolled in high school at Woodstock in January. NBIAA said no rule existed to prevent the boys from playing for the school. But then NBIAA president G. Forbes Elliott declared them ineligible. Woodstock coach Bob Brown asked by what rule they were ineligible but got no answer. Brown took the two players to the provincial tournament but referees were instructed not to start a game in which they two boys were dressed, so they were forced to leave the floor and did not compete.
In the opening round: …………………………………………………… Newcastle Harkins pounded Centreville 34-17 after leading 18-11 at the half. Richards led Harkins with 12. Appleby added 12 and Houlston 10. Crawford led Centreville with 5. Centreville also included Cain. …………………………………………………… The Fredericton Black Kats pounded St. John Vocational 26-7 after leading 20-7 at the half. Jack Grant paced the Black Kats with 10. Vocational included Wood, Cromwell, Coffill.
In the quarterfinals, the Woodstock Thunder dusted the Saint John Greyhounds 32-17 as Stewart scored 17. The Thunder included Goodwin.
The St. Stephen Spartans edged the Saint John Rothesay Regional Red Hawks 31-26. The Spartans led 15-14 at the half and 22-18 after three quarters. The Red Hawks rallied to knot the socre at 24 but P BoIes and Eastman notched buckets as St Stephen regained control. Gordon Eastman led the Spartans with 13. Alcorn led the Red Hawks with 13. The Red Hawks also included McKinley.
The McAdam Warriors dumped Campbelltown 30-9 after leading 10-4 at the half. Arsenault led MacAdam with 14. Moffat added 8. Campbellton led 4-2 after one quarter.
In the last quarterfinal, the Fredericton Black Kats edged Newcastle Harkins 10-9. The Black Kats led 4-2 at the half and by 10-2 in the final quarter before Harkins rallied with a 7-0 run. Newcastle’s Whalen missed a free throw and then an Appleby shot at the buzzer rolled off the rim. J Grant led the Black Kats with 6. Richards added 4.
In the semis, the Fredericton Black Kats pounded the McAdam Warriors 25-12 as J Grant scored 11. Arsenault led MacAdam with 6.
In the other semi, the St. Stephen Spartans clipped the Woodstock Thunder 24-18 as Gordon Eastman scored 17. Montgomery led the Thunder with 6.
In the final, the Fredericton Black Kats defeated the St. Stephen Spartans 18-17. The victory sealed a boys/girls double for Fredericton. Pat Grant hit the winner from midcourt in the final minute. The score was knotted at 4 after one quarter. The Black Kats led 14-9 at the half. Ginos led the Black Kats with 8. Gibson added 6. Kirk led the Spartans with 6. P Boies added 6.
The co-bronze medalist Woodstock Thunder: Montgomery; Stewart; Ronald Tommy; David Slipp; coach Bob Brown
The co-bronze medalist MacAdam: Arsenault; Moffat;
The silver medalist St. Stephen Spartans: Gordon Eastman; P Boies; Kirk; coach E Wiley
The gold medalist Fredericton Black Kats: Pat Grant; Jack Grant; McDougall; Glass; Ginos; Gibson; coach Jerry Lockhart