Final regular season standings (8): Vancouver College (11-0 +1); Capilano (10-1 +1); Malaspina (7-3 +2); Douglas (7-5); Selkirk (6-6); Okanagan (3-9); Cariboo (1-11); Royal Roads (0-10 +2)
Okanagan was (5-1) in league play when a complaint by Douglas College athletic director Betty Lou Hayes results in a league investigation which confirmed that Laker guard Ron Bartel had used up his three years of eligibility having previously played at Trinity Western. The league forced the Lakers to forfeit all six games, which vaulted the Douglas Royals into the playoffs.
Non-participant Trinity Western Spartans (in NAIA’s Pacific Northwest Christian College Conference): Bob Lee, Wendell Loewen, Francis McCauley, Kent Stanley, Ron Remple, Al Derckson, Sam Fisher, Barry Berends, Kevin Driscoll, Doug Reed, coach Scott Nelson
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Cariboo: M McNamee,
Okanagan Lakers: P Johanson, coach Brock Tully
Royal Roads: Kurtenbach, W.K. Little, D.S. Woywitka, Holwin, Truelove, Morin, C.G. Pogue, J.A. Price, manager M O’Rourke,
Selkirk Saints: G Dakin,
In the semis, held at Malaspina, the Vancouver College (now-Langara) Falcons dispatched the Douglas Royals (then the Ducks) 88-37. Ducks star Jon Deanna did not play because of an ankle injury.
In the other semi, the Malaspina Mariners clipped the Capilano Blues 62-53 as Dan Steffes scored 17, Dave Brown 14, Kurt Kelly 9, Wayne Clouthier 9, Mike Davidson 7, Kirk Rozenboom 4 and Dave Cristojoli 2. Mariners coach Murray Hall told the Nanaimo Daily News that “it seemed like there was a lid over the basket. … I didn’t think we played very well. We were pretty tight. It wasn’t a very smooth game. It was a dog fight.” Greg Porter led the Blues with 16. Tim Mills added 15.
In the bronze medal match, the Capilano Blues defeated the Douglas Royals 72-56. The Royals (coached by Ken Klassen, assisted by Kurt Lundberg) included Jon Deanna, Brian Englund, Mats Wong, Todd Yano, Mike Kostic, Steve Mitton, Mark White, Marcus Francis, Cory Galloway, Steve Vanos, Dave Reiter and Peter Julian.
In the final, the Langara Falcons nipped the Malaspina Mariners 67-65 as Doug McKinley scored 17 and Cord Clemens 16. Falcon Jay Derksen hit two free throws with five seconds to play to pull out the win. Falcons coach Duncan McCallum told the Nanaimo Daily News “it’s funny. We weren’t doing too well with those all through the game.” The Falcons led 40-33 at the half as their full-court pressure befuddled the Mariners. Malaspina coach Murray Hall said “I’ve relived that last few seconds so many times. We did it right. We just didn’t anticipate what was going to happen.” Mariner Mike Davidson twice stole the ball for runouts to knot the score at 55 with nine minutes to play. McCallum said “you hate to say that no one should win. I can only say, I’m glad it was us.” Hall said 23 turnovers undid his troops. “I don’t think in a championship game, you can afford to do that. … The only disappointing thing is that we didn’t play to our potential.”
The bronze medalist Capilano Blues: Greg Porter; Tim Mills;
The silver medalist Malaspina Mariners: Kurt Kelly; Dan Steffes; Dave Brown; Wayne Clouthier; Mike Davidson; Kirk Rozenboom; Dave Cristojoli; Grant Hunter; Ian Petterson; Brian Lennox; coach Murray Hall
The gold medalist Langara (then-Vancouver College) Falcons: Cord Clemens; Doug McKinlay; Jay Derksen; Kevin Hanson; Kevin Reimer; coach Duncan McCallum