‘It stinks, right?’ Bisons not invited to national hoops party

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This article was published 05/03/2023 (1305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba men’s basketball coach Kirby Schepp gathered his players Sunday afternoon for what he hoped would be a celebration of a wild-card berth at the upcoming U Sports national championship.

It did not turn into the party the Bisons planned.

Instead of handing Manitoba a ticket for Halifax as the third Canada West team at the national tournament, a U Sports committee chose the Queen’s Gaels as the eighth team in the field.

“It stinks, right?” said Schepp. “Right now it’s disappointing but we’ve certainly had our chance, that’s for sure.

“Overall, we’re pretty happy. Thankful, I guess would be the word I would use. So thankful for the group of guys that we have here and the time we have spent together and what we’re able to accomplish, and so it’s upward and onward looking.”

Schepp was advised Queen’s held a 5-3 edge with two ties in the 10 metric categories the committee considered to determine the wild-card team.

The Bisons won the Canada West regular-season title with an 18-2 record but lost in the conference semifinals — a heart-breaking 73-70 decision on home court to the Winnipeg Wesmen on Feb. 25.

The Wesmen went on to lose the conference final 95-80 to the Victoria Vikes Friday night but the two top finishers in Canada West were already guaranteed berths in Halifax.

Seventh-seeded Winnipeg will face the No. 2 Ottawa Gee-Gees in quarter-final action in Halifax Friday afternoon. It will be a rematch of the Wesmen Classic final on Dec. 30 when the Gee-Gees posted a 70-61 win.

The Gaels dropped a 93-86 decision to the No. 1-ranked Carleton Ravens in the Ontario Universities Association semifinal on March 1.

The field at the upcoming U Sports national championship will also include Ontario reps from Ottawa (champion) and Carleton (runners-up), Quebec champion University of Quebec at Montreal Citadins, Atlantic champion St. Francis Xavier X-Men and a host team, the Prince Edward Island Panthers.

The frequent controversies about worthy teams being left out of the national championship field are almost certain to continue. Could the framework be altered in some way?

“There’s always discussions,” said Schepp. “Whether or not we can make it happen or not I don’t know but I’ll be at the meetings this week in Halifax.”

With a deep and talented roster, the Bisons should be in position to contend for a conference championship again in 2023-24.

Guard Elijah Lostracco and forward Isaac Miller-Jose, a pair of excellent graduating fifth players, are expected to be the only players not returning next season.

“We’ve got some recruiting to do and you’re always trying to improve and so we’ll see what the off-season brings,” said Schepp.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca