Windsor 78        
  Acadia 68 Windsor 95 —–WINDSOR  
  Calgary 83 Calgary 83    
  Carleton 68        

The Lancers captured their third title in four years as head coach Bob Samaras stretched his record against Canadian competition to 54-4 since first assuming the helm in 62-63. An astonishing 44-2 in OQAA play, the Lancers were 77-3 over four years including their games against American foes. After graduating three-time OQAA and CIAU all-stars Bob Horvath and Joe Green, the small and inexperienced Lancers opened the season by losing nine of their first 13 games. But after blitzing Western 113-65 in mid-January, the Lancers won 12 of their last 15 contests and captured the first OQAA post-season basketball tourney (and their fourth straight OQAA title) on their home court to qualify for the national tourney.

       In the playoff between the OSLAA and OIAA champions for the right to enter the national tourney, Carleton defeated Wilfrid Laurier 78-60 after blowing an eight-point first half lead overcoming a 40-35 halftime deficit as Tom Gorman and Wayne Kilfoyle spent much of the first half on the bench in foul trouble. But the patient, ball control tempo of the Ravens took over in the second half, and point guard-sparkplug Pat Stewart provided a lift as the Ravens took control. All OSLAA Cliff Lebrun, who’d been forced out of the first half with an injured ankle, returned to play to help key the rally. Stewart scored 14 in the second half and held Hawk Pete Misikewitz to one field goal and two free throws. Misikewitz had scored 18 points in the first half, including the first seven of the game. Stewart finished with 19, Kilfoyle 27, including seven straight in the last three minutes of the contest, Gorman 10, Pat O’Brien 12 and Cliff LeBrun 4 (also reported as Moore 5, Lebrun 2 and Gibson 1, while Brown, Jones, Buchanan and Wallace were scoreless.) The Hawks, who’d finished 10-0 in OIAA play, were led by 6-2 centre Pete Misikowetz 22, Bill Doyle 16, forward Bill Gillespie 12, guard Don Collins 12, Gillespie 11 and Cox 4, while Ansley, Barker, Donaldson, Friese and Hay were scoreless, and Glenn Wilkins did not play because of a knee injury.

       In the semi against Acadia, Windsor dominated the boards but trailed most of the contest until two free throws by Angelo Mazzuchin lifted the Lancers into the lead late in the contest. Acadia slowed the game to a walk and shot well but Windsor’s bench strength, ballhandling, rebounding and free throw shooting proved the difference. The game was tied at 34 at the half; the game itself was tied eight times with Acadia ahead seven times and Windsor six. The Lancers shot 26-88 from the floor and 26-38 from the line, while Acadia shot 29-60 and 10-15 from the line. Acadia was called for 26 fouls and Windsor 15, while the Lancers out-rebounded the Axemen 61-27. Acadia took a 40-36 lead early in the second half but Windsor rallied to tie it at 41 and it was knotted at 53 at the three-quarter mark. Windsor took the lead in the fourth, but Acadia rallied to within 64-63 with three minutes to play. Then Angelo Mazzuchin stole the ball from Peter Pike and drove for a layup. Seconds later, Mazzuchin stole the ball again and passed it to McWha for a layup. Windsor went into a semi-stall and hit eight free throws down the stretch and a bucket by Larry Kelly to seal the victory. Acadia was only able to reply with field goals by Dave Rode and Pike and a free throw by Pike. Gerry Horner led the Lancers with 17 points, Mazzuchin and Doug Brown each scored 13, Marty Kwiatkowski 5, despite shooting 0-16 from the floor, Gary Polano 9, Mike Taranczuk 5, Kelly 2, Bob Navetta 10, T.R. Elliott 1 and Dave McWha 3. The Axemen, who played only five players, were led by Steve Konchalski’s 22 points, Brian Heaney’s 21, Damon Pouyat’s 11, Rode’s 10 and Pike’s 4. Samaras told the Windsor Star that “our bench strength really paid off tonight. Marty couldn’t buy a basket but out other fellows really pitched in and did their job. It was a great team effort. We looked tired and sluggish in the first half but came along nicely at the finish.”

       In the other semi, Calgary defeated Carleton 83-68 as post Robin Fry scored 38, including 15 field goals and eight from the line. “Fry was the difference. There’s no doubt about that,” said Carleton coach Ernie Zoppa. “When he wasn’t beating us up with his hook shots, he was sinking those long set shots from outside the key.” Calgary coach John Dewar noted that Carleton “surprised us in the first half by coming out and pressing us and if they hadn’t tired, it could have been a different story.” Dewar also praised Fry’s defensive efforts. Carleton had opened the game with a 6-0 run but Fry and Hans Schamp led the Dinosaurs to a 46-42 lead which they easily held over the tiring Ravens, who saw stars Wayne Kilfoyle and Cliff Lebrun foul out in the second half. The Ravens were paced by Pat O’Brien 22, Tom Gorman 13, Kilfoyle 12, Pat Stewart 9, Gibson 7 and Jones 1. Schamp scored 18 for Calgary, including 12 in the first half, while Wayne Thomas added 17, Mucklow 6, Ken Myrhe 4, Leigh Hammond 4, Christie 5 and Ken Shields 3.

       In the bronze medal match, Acadia defeated Carleton 83-64 as Steve Konchalski scored 26, Brian Heaney 23, Dave Rode 22, Damon Pouyat 8, Zanolin 2 and Peter Pike 2. The Axemen led 43-22 at the half and romped to an easy win. Pat O’Brien led the Ravens with 18. Tom Gorman added 12, Pat Stewart 11, Wayne Kilfoyle 8 and Gibson 8, while Cliff Lebrun, Jones, Moore, Brown and Wallace were scoreless.

       In the final, Windsor took a 25-9 lead in the first nine minutes and were ahead 36-19 with seven minutes to go in the first half when Calgary went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 36-31. But Windsor regained its composure and moved ahead 49-40 at the half. In the second half centre Robin Fry’s inside game and Hans Schamp outside shooting brought Calgary to a 61-60 lead with 10:55 to play. A 6-0 run with field goals by Ken Shields, Leigh Hammond and Jim Christie put Calgary ahead 67-61 but then Bob Navetta scored a field goal, Doug Brown hit a free throw, Gary Polano a field goal to tie the game at 67. Angelo Mazzuchin hit two 20-foot jumpers but Schamp and Shields replied for Calgary to tie it again. Marty Kwiatkowski hit a bucket for Windsor and Bob Navetta hit two free throws after being fouled by Ken Myhre. Wayne Thomas cut the lead to 75-73 with a field goal, but a Navetta bucket, a three-point play by Kwiatkowski and another Navetta field goal gave Windsor an 82-73 lead with 3:30 to play. Windsor shifted into a controlling stall game and Morgan, Fry, Thomas, Shields and Ken Myhre all fouled out in the final minutes as Calgary tried to slow the clock by putting Windsor on the line. Dinosaur coach John Dewar noted that “it would have been a much better contest if we hadn’t played so poorly early in the game. When our play did start to improve in the second half, we ran into foul trouble. I honestly don’t think we rated as many fouls as they called on us.” Samaras noted that “we had some bad moments in this game but even when we were down five points midway through the second half, I was confident that we’d bounce back and win it. We controlled the boards when it counted. Our foul shooting was good and our control offence worked swell when we switched to it late in the game. It was Angelo who got the big points. I’m very disappointed that he was not picked for the all-star team or the MVP award. We all know that he led us to the championship.” It marked the first time in the four-year history of the tourney that it wasn’t won by the host team. The Lancers were led by 6-4 OQAA scoring champ Marty Kwiatkowski; 6-5 centre Bob Navetta from Detroit’s Notre Dame High; and Canadian-born guards Angelo Mazzuchin from Sudbury and Gerry Horner from perennial Windsor high school powerhouse Herman Collegiate. Through the season, Windsor averaged 91.0 ppg and gave up 77.8 ppg. In league play, they bettered those totals to average 107.8 ppg and give up a scant 61.5 ppg. Navetta led Windsor scoring in their two CIAU contests, hitting for 35 points. Horner and Kwiatkowski each hit for 31 points over the two games, while Kwiatkowski led all rebounders with 26 boards in two games. Calgary’s Robin Fry, who scored 67 pts in his two tourney games was named MVP of the tourney, which was attended by legendary Edmonton Grads basketball coach J. Percy Page, then lieutenant-governor of the province. Page was “patron of honour” for the tourney. After the season, New York-based Parker Press published a book written by Samaras entitled Blitz Basketball. Bob Navetta paced Windsor with 25 points. Marty Kwiatkowski added 24, Angelo Mazzuchin 14, Gerry Horner 14, Mike Taranczuk 8, Doug Brown 6, Gary Polano 4, T.R. Elliott 2, T.D. Elliott 0 and Dave McWha 0. Windsor shot 33-95 from the floor, 29-50 from the line and grabbed 71 boards, while committing 25 fouls. Rob Fry paced Calgary with 29. Hans Schamp added 11, Ken Shields 10, Wayne Thomas 10, Leigh Hammond 10, Jim Christie 4, Ken Myhre 4, Morgan 3 and Mucklow 2. Calgary shot 30-88 from the floor, 23-35 from the line and grabbed 56 boards, while committing 36 fouls. Windsor finished (16-12) on the season.

       The all-tourney featured MVP Robin Fry (Calgary); Marty Kwiatkowski (Windsor); Steve Konchalski (Acadia); Wayne Thomas (Calgary) and Brian Heaney (Acadia).

       After the season, 52 universities and colleges voted unanimously against the awarding of athletic scholarships. The WCIAA had been seeking the approval of the CIAU but Dalt White, assistant physical education director at the University of Toronto led the opposition to athletic scholarships, arguing that it was “wrong in principle.”

       The bronze medalist Acadia Axemen: Steve Konchalski; Brian Heaney; Dave Rode; Peter Pike; Damon Pouyat; Bruce; MacMullin; Zanolin; Smith; Scott Lumsden; Besachio; coach Stu Aberdeen; assistant coach Logue; manager Wingate; manager Hind; head manager D. Meuse;

       The silver medalist Calgary Dinosaurs: Wayne Thomas; Robin Fry; Ken Shields; Hans Schamp; Leigh Hammond; Robert Morgan; Ken Myhre; Jim Christie; Bill Mucklow; Craig Ogilvie; coach John Dewar

       The champion Windsor Lancers: Angelo Mazzuchin; Gerry Horner; Gary Polano; Doug Brown; Larry Kelly; Dave McWha; Marty Kwiatkowski; Mike Taranczuk; Bob Navetta; Tom D. Elliott; Tom R. Elliott; Doug Stocco; coach Bob Samaras; assistant Eddi Chittaro, athletic director Dick Moriarty; manager Bill McAdam