Final regular season standings: Dawson (16-2) Vanier (15-3); John Abbott (12-6); Champlain-Lennoxville (x-x)
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Maisonneuve Vikings: Wilbert St-Juste,
Outaouais Griffins: Claude Bolduc
In the semis, the Vanier Cheetahs defeated the John Abbott Islanders 85-69. Leon Pierre and Mark McAuley each scored 16 for John Abbott. The Cheetahs took command in the final seven minutes.
In the other semi, the top-seeded Dawson Blues defeated the 4th-seeded Champlain-Lennoxville Cougars 57-54.
In the bronze medal match, the John Abbott Islanders defeated the Champlain-Lennoxville Cougars 59-56 as Leon Pierre scored 14 and Donald Guy 13. The Cougars led 32-25 at the half. The Cougars (coached by Morgan Quinn) included Wayne Tummings, Paul Boutin, John Sztrikacs, Kevin Metcalfe, Patrick Sullivan, Robert Sewell, Lesley John.
In the final, the Dawson Blues defeated the Vanier Cheetahs 95-91 in overtime to capture their second consecutive provincial title. But Vanier was to go on and win the national title. Dawson led 42-38 at the half. With the coaches ranting on the sidelines about the officiating, the game went down to the wire. “I thought we had them beat in regulation when Dennis (Hinds) drove from the baseline and Astley (Smith of Dawson) went after him. The guy got mugged. We should have been shooting free throws and the game is over,” Vanier coach Keith Coffin told the Montreal Gazette, while still irate about a non-call with the scored knotted at 79 and four seconds to play on the clock. “The guy (Hinds) got mugged. We should have been shooting free throws and the game is over.” The Cheetahs had taken a 78-77 lead with a minute to play but Astley Smith nailed a bucket with 15 seconds on the clock to force overtime. Dexter John led Dawson with 28. Tournament MVP Astley Smith added 26. Perry Douglas paced the Cheetahs with 24. Ernie Rosa added 19. “You couldn’t have asked for a better finish,” added Dawson assistant David Francis. “Vanier is a good team and they’ve got some good players but the fact is Dawson is that much better.”
The bronze medalist John Abbott Islanders: Leon Pierre; Mark McAuley; Donald Guy; Marcello Biocchi; Alex Aviles; Mario Macioca; coach Steve Seabrooke; assistant Cam Farquharson
The silver medalist Vanier Cheetahs: Billy Vourtzoumis; Dennis Hinds; Ernie Rosa; Perry Douglas; Robert Ferguson; Dino Perin; Nick Katerinakis; Donald John; Jim Hubert; Andy Wilson; coach Keith Coffin; assistant Mike Roy; assistant Henry Wong; trainer Kathy Tink; manager Attie Waxman; statistician Francois Bosse
The gold medalist Dawson Blues: Astley Smith; Dexter John; Garfield Glasgow; Stanley Paul; Greg Benjamin; Sean Deer; Ian Ployart; John Leacock; coach Varouj Gurunlian; assistant David Francis