REGULAR SEASON
| Brandon | 10-2 | Ron McCutcheon | |||
| Manitoba | 7-5 | Rick Suffield | |||
| Winnipeg | 5-7 | 16-20 | Bill Wedlake | ||
| Regina | 2-10 | 4-13 | Dick Stark | ||
Playoff non-qualifier Regina Cougars: Brian Livingston, Roland Biegler, Mark Gottselig, Terry Ross, Grant McGlaughlin, Robert Andrist, Jeff Christiansen, Russell Brodner, Jeff Christiansen, Richard Cohee, Mark Gottselig, Graham Hackl, Kevin Foster, Kevin Schiller, coach Dick Stark
In the semis, Manitoba defeated Winnipeg 94-84; 84-96; 74-73 (2g-1). …………………………………………………… In game three, rookie guard Eric Bridgeland hit a free throw with two seconds on the clock to give the Manitoba Bisons a 74-73 victory. David Filmon paced the Bisons with 12.
In the finals, Brandon defeated Manitoba 95-100; 81-76; 101-87 (2g-1).
In game one, Manitoba prevailed 100-95.
In game two, Brandon knotted the series with an 81-76 win. “Our offence is so good that we sometimes rest on defence,” said Bobcats guard Joey Vickery. “We went into the game determined to play well defensively. We can play as well defensively as any team in Canada when we put our minds to it. We approached the game just like the first game. You have to win two games in the series. We didn’t put added pressure on ourselves by thinking about winning two straight.” The Bison sled 45-36 edge at halftime, but a 14-4 run to start the second half left Brandon in “complete control,” said coach Ron McCutcheon. “We just couldn’t get into a rhythm in the first half. We’re a tempo type of team. When we get into
our tempo, we’re awfully tough.” Manitoba coach Rick Suffield noted “they played a lot better defensively, both teams did. We knew they’d be tough.” The Bisons quickly found themselves in foul trouble, and lost forward Keon Filewich to fouls midway through the second half. “When it comes down to it in the third game, I hope they officiate it like a college game rather than a high-school contest,” said Suffield. “We were fouled on shots a number of times, but they just refused to call it.” The Bisons had a chance to tie the game in the dying moments when Eric Bridgeland had an open trey but it rimmed out and Elden Irving sealed the win with a slam. Irving paced Brandon with 28. Mark Kalinowsky led the Bisons with 21, Jerome Gaines 11 and Joey Vickery 10. Paul Bryant and David Filmon each added 14. “We had to get down and get the ‘job done,” said Brandon’s Jerome Gaines. “It was do or die today. The fellas were up for it.” In the first half, he added, “I think we were thinking too much about what we had to do and what was coming up. We were tight going into the huddle and up to the last five minutes of the first half, we were still thinking too much and not doing what we set out to do. In the second half, we concentrated more on the inside and it showed. We worked the ball inside, outside, everybody got involved.” With three minutes left and the score tied 69-69, the Bobcats went on a short roll. Gaines hit the jumper for a two-point lead, then Joey Vickery stole the ball, was fouled, and made both free throws. Manitoba’s Paul Bryant countered, but Elden Irving hit a trey and Doug Carmichael hit from the inside to give BU a 78-71 lead with 1:15 left. “We were in control in the second half,” said McCutcheon. “We took control of it and played under control. And that was the key.” The Bisons fought back and closed the score to 78-76 with 26 seconds left when Dave Filmon hit his fourth straight free throw. On Brandon’s next possession guard Dave Brown was fouled and he was good on only one free throw. But Bridgeland missed the opportunity to force overtime. “Lucky he (Bridgeland) missed it,” said Gaines, who scored 11. “I think the crowd played a great deal in it too. At the moment, it was a little too tight for him.” Suffield said “on 70% of the shots that Eric Bridgeland took, he was fouled and he never got one, including right at the buzzer. He’s just being hacked to death and it’s not being called.”
In game three, Brandon defeated Manitoba 101-87 as Joey Vickery scored 29, Dave Nackoney 22 and Elden Irving 17, Bob Miller 14 and Jerome Gaines 10. Keon Filewich paced the Bisons with 25. Mark Kalinowsky added 18 and Eric Bridgeland 17. The win game the Bobcats their fourth consecutive GPAC title and ninth in 11 years. “At the beginning of the season you couldn’t see it, because you’ve got a lot of new guys,” said Joey Vickery. “Now at the end of the year anything can happen. As you saw, the rankings shift around a lot. Certainly we’re one of the teams that can win it there.” Manitoba coach Rick Suffield noted “that’s the agony and ecstasy. Last weekend we were jumping all over the gym.” Brandon trailed 4-2 and never again. “We have to play as a team to win,” said Dave Nackoney. “We are not as talented as we have been in the past, but today we played as a team better than we have before.” A key stretch for the Bobcats came with two minutes left in the first half. With Brandon leading 38-33, Bridgeland was called for a technical. Irving made both free throws and when Brandon regained possession of the ball, Gaines was fouled. He made the first free throw, and Irving dunked in the rebound on the second shot. The teams exchanged baskets and then Gaines stole the ball with four seconds left and hit a three-pointer to give Brandon a 48-35 halftime lead. The Bisons got no closer than 86-82 whereupon Nackoney, Miller and then Nackoney again scored in succession to give Brandon a 10-point lead. “We had a real good shot at it, but we just missed a couple of shots,” said Suffield. Fifth-year Bisons post David Filmon twisted his ankle on the opening tipoff
and only played sparingly in the second half. “We can’t lose our top rebounder and top scorer and beat Brandon,” Suffield said.
After the season, Dick Stark resigned as coach of Regina.
The bronze medalist Winnipeg Wesmen: Burke Toews; Nick Janzen; John Mathieson; Scott Anderson; Jeff Foreman; Rhett Turner; Larry Wandowich; Charles Sabourin; David Zagordo; Eric Christianson; coach Bill Wedlake
The runner-up Manitoba Bisons: David Filmon; Eric Bridgeland; Alex Ikejiani; Zak Hirshman; Garth Thomson; Paul Bryant; Keon Filewich; Mark Kalinowsky; Kevin Clelland; Dan Brown; Gregg Filmon; Graeme Fraser; coach Rick Suffield; assistant Randy Kusano; assistant Tony Scott; athletic director Mike Moore; SID Werner Burokas
The champion Brandon Bobcats: Joey Vickery; Elden Irving; Jerome Gaines; Dave Nackoney; Dave Brown; Doug Carmichael; Doug Scotchburn, Jamie Procope; Wayne Bennett; Jim Lamond; Justin Jones; Ian McGowan; coach Ron McCutcheon; assistant Kenny Fields; assistant Mark Wolverton; manager Sam Munro; athletic director Mark Arnett; SID Andrea Drake