In the northeast regional semis and provincial quarterfinals, held in Moncton, the Saint John Greyhounds clipped the Moncton Harrison Trimble Trojans 83-78 as Carson scored 33 and Warr 18. The Greyhounds led 43-27 at the half and hit 20-32 from the line. Ryan Johnston led the Trojans with 19. The Trojans also included Dan Kelly.
In the other northeast semi, the Saint John St. Malachy’s Memorial Saints whipped the Moncton Purple Knights 104-69 as Dobbelsteyn scored 20. The Saints led 59-33 at the half.
In the northeast final and provincial semi, the Saint John St. Malachy’s Memorial Saints clubbed the Saint John Greyhounds 102-65 as Dobbelsteyn scored 20, Ross 13, Palmer 11, King 11 and Mitchell 11. The Saints led 49-30 at the half. Saints coach Glen Spurrell told the Saint John Telegraph-Journal that “we moved the ball well and ran the floor 23l and everybody was scoring. The pressure defence also worked well. That’s been a key for us all season.” Carson led the Greyhounds with 19. Maguire added 18.
In the southwest regional semis and provincial quarterfinals, held in Fredericton, the Fredericton Black Kats dispatched the Riverview Royals 79-61 as Keding scored 23 and Coates 12. The Black Kats led 40-27 at the half and Bonnar scored seven down the stretch to ice the win. Wes Hopper led the Royals with 16. Steve Smith added 12 and Josh Jenkins 10.
In the other semi, the Quispamsis Kennebecasis Valley Crusaders edged the Bathurst Phantoms 81-78 as Newson scored 25, Foster 16 and Taylor 10. Vince Fournier the Phantoms with 25. Kris Good added 17 and Chris Skrobot 12. The Phantoms also included Jason Taggart.
In the southwest final and provincial semi, the Fredericton Black Kats spanked the Quispamsis Kennebecasis Valley Crusaders 77-63 as keding scored 17, Coates 14, Linton 11, Gomez 10 and Krause 10. The Black Kats led 40-26 at the half. Newsom led the Crusaders with 25. Hicks added 13 and Taylor 12.
In the final, the Fredericton Black Kats defeated the Saint John St. Malachy’s Memorial Saints 71-62 as player of the game Coates scored 20, Keding 17, Lawrence 13, Cotter 11 and Gomez 5, while nabbing 10 boards. The Black Kats hit 13-23 from the line. Black Kats coach Gary Young told the Saint John Telegraph-Journal that “I said earlier that this team had developed as a unit. We were more than one or two players. If we had been just one of two players, I think you would have seen us fold at that stretch in the seonc half and we would have died right there (when Coates go a charleyhorse with 11 minutes to play and Keding twisted his ankle five minutes into the second half). … But we came back with some big baskets. Jeff Cotter stepped his offence up in the drought when the other two players went out and we got quality play defensively from everyone we put on the floor. And that was the key.” Coates aid “I got fouled and my whole leg just kind of locked up. Jeff really picked up his game. He knew he had to take over the team. He put up some excellent shots.” Cotter said “we all stepped up our game. This was an important game and we came through. At the start of the year, everyone said we are a young team and next year, we are going to rock. But for all those guys who didn’t believe, we knew in our hearts that we could do it – this just proves it.” Young said “we needed our young point guars to come up and play a great game for us. That was the strength of the game for us. If our point guards had broken down against St. Mac’s pressure, I think they would have scored 100 on us. But Jeff Cotter and Sammy Royama played an excellent ball game. They never lost their composure.” King led the Saints with 15. Palmer added 14, Dobbelsteyn 12 and Cragette 10. The Saints hit 10-17 from the line. Saints coach Glen Spurrell said “every time he (Palmer) went down low, they double-teamed him. He had to kick it out and give up a lot of shots. Jim was our main scoer and we like to go to him inside. …. We had the momentum going and Jeff Cotter made two or three key shots right in a row. Nick Lawrence made some key shots early in the second half going baseline. He made two or three in a row and was tough to stop down there. They’ve got a lot of weapons coming off their bench and going down the stretch, they controlled the boards. It meant the game.”
The co-bronze medalist Quispamsis Kennebecasis Valley Crusaders: Lorne Newson; Steve Hicks; Graham Taylor; Corey Dugas; Craig Forster;
The co-bronze medalist Saint John Greyhounds: Aaron Carson; Jamie Warr; Kyle Maguire;
The silver medalist Saint John St. Malachy’s Memorial Saints: Mike Dobbelsteyn; Jon Ross; Jim Palmer; Mike King; Bobby Mitchell; Steve LeBlanc; Dwayne Craggett; coach Glen Spurrell
The champion Fredericton Black Kats: Dan Gomes; Jamie Coates; Chuck Keding; Mike Bonnar; Mark McAllister; Sami Royama; Jeff Cotter; Sean Linton; George Doak; J.R. McCombs; Mike McLeod; Greg Norton; Dan Gomez; Peter Krause; Nick Lawrence; coach Gary Young; trainer Shonaugh Coles; trainer Paul Noble