The Manitoba Colleges Athletic Association begins an interlocking schedule with the Northern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC), which included:
Red River College Rebels (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Canadian Mennonite University Blazers (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Providence University College Pilots (Otterburne, Manitoba)
Association Free Lutheran Bible School Crusaders (Plymouth, Minnesota)
Cankdeska Cikana Community College Wolves (Fort Totten, North Dakota)
Leech Lake Tribal College Lakers (Cass Lake, Minnesota)
Oak Hills Christian College Wolfpack (Bemidji, Minnesota)
Trinity Bible College Lions (Ellendale, North Dakota)
Turtle Mountain Community College Mighty Mikinocks (Belcourt, North Dakota)
Sisseton Wahpeton College Mustangs (Agency Village, South Dakota)
NIAC final standings: Sisseton Wahpeton (11-1); Leech Lake Tribal (10-2); Red River College (8-4); Oak Hills Christian (7-5); Providence University College (7-5); Canadian Mennonite (6-6); Turtle Mountain CC (4-8); Trinity Bible (3-9); Association Free Lutheran Bible (2-10); Cankdeska Cikana CC (2-10)
Prior to the NIAC postseason tournament, Red River and the Canadian Mennonite Blazers met for the MCAC title (as the team with the best records in games between Manitoba-based teams in the NIAC regular season).
In the championship, the Red River Rebels dispatched the Canadian Mennonite Blazers 88-75. Demauleon-Bartolay told the MCAC that the difference was Rebel posts Steve Williamson and Mark Ridd (both of whom joined the Rebels late in the season). “Rebounding, defence, and overall hustle,” said Demauleon-Bartolay. “They changed the whole culture of our team.” Chris Demauleon-Bartolay paced the Rebels with 23, including five triples. Steve Williamson added 20, player of the game Jaired Gairing 20, along with 7 boards and 6 assists, and Mark Ridd 10, along with 16 boards and 4 blocks. Nicolas Kasmic led the Blazers 18. Kniel Sullera added 16, along with 14 boards. Gairing said of his award “man, it feels really good. I’ve never won anything before. It feels really good.” Rebels coach Scott Kirkpatrick said “Jaired really comes to play in these big moments. He makes the big play, the right play, the exciting play. He just does his job and guys love to play with him.”
After the season, Providence University College coach Tim Friesen resigns after two years at the helm of the Pilots. In the 2016-17 campaign, Providence recorded 9 wins and 20 losses, finishing third in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference, fourth in the National Christian College Athletic Association North Region and 10th at the Association of Christian College Athletics national tournament. Friesen also coached the MCAC’s Most Valuable Player, two ACCA Second Team All-Americans and two ACCA Second Team All-Region members. They finished 17-15 overall. In 2018, they finished third in MCAC, third in the NCCAA North Region and eighth at the ACCA National Tournament. Friesen coached three NCCAA All-Region Team members, one NCCAA All-American, two ACCA All-Americans and three Northern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference players. Friesen was also named NCCAA North Region Coach of the Year for 2017-18. “It has been an honour to be able to serve as head coach of the Providence Pilots men’s basketball team for the last two years,” said Friesen. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the relationships that have developed over the past two years with the players, the other Pilots coaches and opposing coaches. I will miss the competition, the time in the gym and mostly watching the relationships develop. But I am looking forward to having more time to spend with my family and watching—and coaching—my own children as they pursue their athletic and musical interests.” Friesen was replaced by Pierre Dubreuil, from Rennes, France, where he coached at the departmental, regional and national levels. “I am a hard-working coach, and I like my players to be hard-working as well,” he says. “Building relationships with my players is also important to me. I want to know them as much as I can to help them grow both on and off the court.”
The 6th-seeded Canadian Mennonite Blazers stunned the 3rd-seeded Red River Rebels 73-72 as Nick Kasmik scored 17. Steve Willamson led the Rebels with 25.
The 2nd-seeded Leech Lake Tribal College Lakers dusted the 7th-seeded Turtle Mountain CC Mighty Mikinocks 77-53.
In the last quarterfinal, the 8th-seeded Trinity Bible Lions stunned the top-seeded Sisseton Wahpeton Mustangs 94-93.
In the semis, the 2nd-seeded Leech Lake Tribal Lakers dispatched 6th-seeded Canadian Mennonite Blazers 86-83.
In the other semi, the 5th-seeded Providence University College Pilots defeated the Trinity Bible Lions 92-85 in overtime.
In the final, 2nd-seeded Leech Lake Tribal clipped the 5th-seeded Providence University College Pilots 95-81. Kendall Perpall led the Pilots with 18.
The bronze medalist (and NIAC runner-up) Providence University College Pilots: Chris Dick; Braxton Phommarath; Cash Blanca; Kendall Perpall; Jordan Lawson; Kaan Bitchok; J’Neil Gibson; Kaleb Seida; Clark Nachtigal; Zach Feakes; Glenn Pronteau; Alex Doyon; Ezra Winter; Justin Pierite; Joshua Pierite; redshirt Riley Unger; coach Tim Friesen; assistant Eric Ackermann; assistant R.J. MacKenzie; therapist Erin Rempel; therapist Laura Imhoff
The silver medalist Canadian Mennonite University Blazers: Kniel Sullera; Jaden Harms; Nicolas De Girolamo Kasmik; Seth McKenzie; Riley Ens; Zach Stubel; Erik Sinclair; Jordan Neufeld; Mel Animalia; Joshua Marshall; Andre Ellison; Matt Warkentin; Bryden Bukich; Joel Kliewer; Kushinga Manyangadze; coach Billy Isaac; assistant Dan Neufeld; assistant Jon Hayter; assistant Adam Bergen; assistant Ryan Wiebe
The MCAC champion Red River Rebels: Artem Coste; Jaired Garing; Rhon Aldrin Cruz; Brayden Bandusiak; Anuna Ojwato; Arsalan Zaheer; Christopher Demauleon-Bartolay; Mitchell Podworny; Domenico Maitland; Connor McEvoy; Aaron Backe; Dillon Zado; Jasdeep Khangura; Steve Willamson; Julian Nery; Mark Ridd; coach Scott Kirkpatrick