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 the Centreville Cougars 34-17 after leading 18-11 at the half. Richards led Harkins with 12. Appleby added 12 and Houlston 10. Crawford led Centreville with 4. Cain added 4, Perry 3, Watson 2 and Bessett 2, while Brown, Greene and Clift were scoreless. …………………………………………………… 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. McDougal added 6, Glass 4, Gibson 4 and Niles 2. Wood led Vocational with 3. Coffill added 2, Main 2 and Boudreau 1 (one over allocated), while Cromwell, Parfett, McCaughan, Kempster, Latta, Iliffe and Wood were scoreless.
In the quarterfinals, the Woodstock Thunder dusted the Saint John Greyhounds 32-17 as Stewart scored 17, Hayden 4, Montgomery 4, Seely 3, Rogers 2 and Hood 2. Goodwin paced the Greyhounds with 6, Jones added 5, Hopkins 4 and Dykeman 2, while MacVicar, Izzard, Flower, Butler, Parker and Beckingham were scoreless.
The Saint John St Stephen Spartans edged the 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 score at 24 but P Boles and Eastman notched buckets as St Stephen regained control. Gordon Eastman led the Spartans with 14. P Boles added 6, Kirk 6, R Boles 4 and R Manuel 1. Alcorn led the Red Hawks with 13. R McKinley added 6, G Flemming 4 and E Chapman 3, while, J Hill, R Black, W Thompson, B Randlay, A Stairs, J Nesbit, J Palmer, C Bliss and D Hoyt were scoreless.
The McAdam Warriors dumped the Campbelltown Tigers 30-9 after leading 10-4 at the half. Arsenault led McAdam with 14. Moffitt added 8, Crotty 4, L Thomas 2 and Coburg 2. Campbellton led 4-2 after one quarter. E Adams paced the Tigers with 4. J Cole added 3 and Coleman 2, while Allingham, Hamilton, Mackenzie, Milton, Wood, Matthews, Cade and MacNeish were scoreless.
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. MacDougall added 2 and Glass 2. Richards paced Newcastle with 4. Whalen added 3 and Appleby 2, while Houlston, Johnston, Morris, Atcheson, Dickison, Dalton and Coughlin were scoreless.
In the semis, the Fredericton Black Kats pounded the McAdam Warriors 25-12 as J Grant scored 11, Glass 6, P Grant 4 and Gibson 4. Arsenault led the Warriors with 5. Crotty added 4, Moffatt 2 and Annis 1.
In the other semi, the St. Stephen Spartans clipped the Woodstock Thunder 24-18 as Gordon Eastman scored 17, P Boles 4, Kirk 2 and Manuel 1. Montgomery led the Thunder with 5. Hayden added 4, Stewart 4, L Buckingham 4 and Seeley 2.
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 with 65 seconds to play. The score was knotted at 4 after one quarter. The Black Kats led 14-9 at the half. Gibson led the Black Kats with 6. Glass added 6, MacDougall 4 and P Grant 2. Kirk led the Spartans with 6. P Boles added 6 and Eastman 5
The co-bronze medalist Woodstock Thunder: Montgomery; Stewart; Ronald Tommy; David Slipp; Hayden; Seely; Rogers; Hood; L Buckingham; Hoyt; Bowlin; C Buckingham; coach Bob Brown
The co-bronze medalist McAdam Warriors: Arsenault; Moffatt; G Crotty; L (G?) Thomas; Coburg (Coburn?); H Watson; B Noble; B Thomas; D Day; Smith; Henry; Ryder; R Clarkson; Annis;
The silver medalist St. Stephen Spartans: Gordon Eastman; P Boies; D Kirk; R Boles; R Manuel; K Campbell; W Cockburn; J Edward; N Eastman; Nickson; coach E Wiley
The champion Fredericton Black Kats: Pat Grant; Jack Grant; John McDougall; Bill Glass; John Gibson; Barry King; Bud Niles; Robert Miller; Pat Grant; Mackay; Don Brannen; Prince (Prime?); John King; Watlen; coach Jerry Lockhart; manager Jack MacKay