2000-01 Season Overview
Coming off their second national championship in seven years, the X-Men headed into the 2000-2001 season thinking “back-to-back”. With all five starters returning from the national championship team, and a new crop of very talented freshmen, the X-Men were pre-season favorites for a very good reason. The challenge for Coach K might be to keep the squad focused, and to keep everyone happy, given that there would be only one ball to share amongst the highly talented group.
The 2000 recruiting year brought five new faces to the Blue and White squad. Leading the way would be another Aldergrove B.C. native, James Maksymiw, a former high school teammate and close friend of Randy Nohr’s. “Max” was also a teammate of Randy’s at Langara College where the two contributed to that school’s back-to-back national small college championships. His addition would strengthen an already formidable front court that included Denny Oliver, Krzysztof Stach and Jason Kerswill. Max, with only one year of eligibility remaining after four years at Langara, was hoping to team up with his longtime pal Nohr for one more national championship.
In addition to Maksymiw, Coach K added four true freshmen to the X-Men squad. From Nova Scotia, guards John Bustin and Mike Budreski signed on in the hopes of earning rings of their own. These two highly recruited scorers would, in Coach Konchalski’s grand design, form the nucleus of the X-Men backcourt in years to come. They would, however, struggle to see much playing time in their freshman year on this veteran laden club.
Joining the Nova Scotia recruits would be two highly regarded freshmen from Ontario. Alex Stephen, a 6’7” big man from Toronto with great athleticism, and point guard Dion Williams from Ottawa would not only make the 2000-2001 edition of the Blue and White one of the “deepest” in many years – they would ensure that the X-Men would be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
As defending national champions and the number one ranked team to begin the season, the X-Men would be “the hunted” all season long. A match-up with the X-Men would be “a big game” on the schedule for every opponent. The question X fans were asking was “Would this team be challenged, and would they be game tested come playoff time in March?”
After a pre-season loss at the Naismith Classic in Waterloo Ontario (to the then number two ranked Western Mustangs), the X-Men began the regular season with five games prior to the Christmas break. Winning by an average of 27 points, the X-Men served notice that they were ready for all comers.
After the break, the X-Men opened the second half of their season by defending their championship at Dalhousie University’s Rod Shoveller Classic. They knocked off Concordia, St. Mary’s and the host Dal Tigers on route to the tourney championship. What lay ahead were 15 games on a regular season schedule that needed the team’s attention before any conference or national championships could be defended.
After fifteen more victories, the X-Men would finish the campaign with a 20-0 regular season record, the best in CIAU history. The season would, therefore, go into the record books regardless of what would follow. However, the players, coaches, and many fans would never be satisfied without a successful defense of the team’s national title.
The X-Men, having finished first in their division, had a first round bye at the AUAA playoffs. In their semi-final matchup versus UNB, a team they had beaten four times during the regular season, the Blue and White took command early and maintained a double-digit lead for much of the way. A 99-85 victory meant that the X-Men would move on to face the always dangerous Huskies of St. Mary’s for Atlantic Conference bragging rights. Although the Huskies had provided the X-Men with their toughest tests during the regular season, the Blue and White had a surprisingly easy time with their Halifax rivals. Having led by as many as 30 points, the X-Men coasted to their second consecutive conference championship (and third in five years) posting a 76-57 victory.
The CIAU National Championships saw the X-Men enter the tournament as the number one ranked team and the tourney favourite. A 28-1 record versus CIAU competition indicated that they were indeed the team to beat.
In the opening game of the 2001 national tournament, the X-Men faced the talented but inexperienced, and eighth seeded, University of Laval. No one seemed surprised that the heavily favoured home team rolled over the champions of the Quebec conference 95-68. The victory brought a semi-final match-up with McMaster, a team that X faced in the opening round of the 2000 national tournament. In as thrilling a game as had ever been seen in the Halifax Metro Centre, the X-Men prevailed 78-76. Having trailed for most of the game, and by as many as 17 in the first half, McMaster rallied to take a one point lead with only 14 seconds remaining. Randy Nohr, however, took it upon himself to lead the X-men back. Dribbling the ball the length of the court, Nohr decides to let the team’s fate rest on his shoulders alone. With only 6.5 seconds on the clock, Nohr arcs a 15-foot jumper toward the hoop as he falls out of bounds behind the backboard. Amazingly, he hits nothing but net and the X-Men have earned another spot in the National Championship game.
The Sunday afternoon final was a rematch of the previous year’s finale. X would take on Brandon. It was impossible for anyone to imagine that this game could live up to the previous year’s dramatics where the X-Men scored the final 10 points to snatch victory from the Bobcats. However, the game more than lived up to this level of excitement. In fact, many would argue that this championship game was as dramatic and as exciting as any ever played. Although X leads for much of the way, the Bobcats go in front for the first time with less than two minutes to play. It is now X’s turn to scrap back. And this they do. E.L. Adams and Jordan Croucher make tough baskets to knot the score after Brandon pulls ahead. Then, just before time expires, a whistle blows and a foul is called. The crowd holds its breath. The game is tied and the foul is against Brandon. Dennie Oliver will go to the line – with no time remaining. Make one of two and X retains the title “National Champions”.
With 10,000 fans watching from the stands and thousands more watching on national television, Dennie misses both and all seemed lost. But Dennie Oliver and the X-Men put the disappointment behind them and went about taking care of business in OT. Controlling the game in the extra frame, the X-Men prevailed 83-76. The celebration, merely delayed by an additional five minutes of playing time, was on for real.
The little school that could had won its second consecutive National Championship, its third in eight years. Can anyone say “threepeat”?
The 2000 recruiting year brought five new faces to the Blue and White squad. Leading the way would be another Aldergrove B.C. native, James Maksymiw, a former high school teammate and close friend of Randy Nohr’s. “Max” was also a teammate of Randy’s at Langara College where the two contributed to that school’s back-to-back national small college championships. His addition would strengthen an already formidable front court that included Denny Oliver, Krzysztof Stach and Jason Kerswill. Max, with only one year of eligibility remaining after four years at Langara, was hoping to team up with his longtime pal Nohr for one more national championship.
In addition to Maksymiw, Coach K added four true freshmen to the X-Men squad. From Nova Scotia, guards John Bustin and Mike Budreski signed on in the hopes of earning rings of their own. These two highly recruited scorers would, in Coach Konchalski’s grand design, form the nucleus of the X-Men backcourt in years to come. They would, however, struggle to see much playing time in their freshman year on this veteran laden club.
Joining the Nova Scotia recruits would be two highly regarded freshmen from Ontario. Alex Stephen, a 6’7” big man from Toronto with great athleticism, and point guard Dion Williams from Ottawa would not only make the 2000-2001 edition of the Blue and White one of the “deepest” in many years – they would ensure that the X-Men would be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
As defending national champions and the number one ranked team to begin the season, the X-Men would be “the hunted” all season long. A match-up with the X-Men would be “a big game” on the schedule for every opponent. The question X fans were asking was “Would this team be challenged, and would they be game tested come playoff time in March?”
After a pre-season loss at the Naismith Classic in Waterloo Ontario (to the then number two ranked Western Mustangs), the X-Men began the regular season with five games prior to the Christmas break. Winning by an average of 27 points, the X-Men served notice that they were ready for all comers.
After the break, the X-Men opened the second half of their season by defending their championship at Dalhousie University’s Rod Shoveller Classic. They knocked off Concordia, St. Mary’s and the host Dal Tigers on route to the tourney championship. What lay ahead were 15 games on a regular season schedule that needed the team’s attention before any conference or national championships could be defended.
After fifteen more victories, the X-Men would finish the campaign with a 20-0 regular season record, the best in CIAU history. The season would, therefore, go into the record books regardless of what would follow. However, the players, coaches, and many fans would never be satisfied without a successful defense of the team’s national title.
The X-Men, having finished first in their division, had a first round bye at the AUAA playoffs. In their semi-final matchup versus UNB, a team they had beaten four times during the regular season, the Blue and White took command early and maintained a double-digit lead for much of the way. A 99-85 victory meant that the X-Men would move on to face the always dangerous Huskies of St. Mary’s for Atlantic Conference bragging rights. Although the Huskies had provided the X-Men with their toughest tests during the regular season, the Blue and White had a surprisingly easy time with their Halifax rivals. Having led by as many as 30 points, the X-Men coasted to their second consecutive conference championship (and third in five years) posting a 76-57 victory.
The CIAU National Championships saw the X-Men enter the tournament as the number one ranked team and the tourney favourite. A 28-1 record versus CIAU competition indicated that they were indeed the team to beat.
In the opening game of the 2001 national tournament, the X-Men faced the talented but inexperienced, and eighth seeded, University of Laval. No one seemed surprised that the heavily favoured home team rolled over the champions of the Quebec conference 95-68. The victory brought a semi-final match-up with McMaster, a team that X faced in the opening round of the 2000 national tournament. In as thrilling a game as had ever been seen in the Halifax Metro Centre, the X-Men prevailed 78-76. Having trailed for most of the game, and by as many as 17 in the first half, McMaster rallied to take a one point lead with only 14 seconds remaining. Randy Nohr, however, took it upon himself to lead the X-men back. Dribbling the ball the length of the court, Nohr decides to let the team’s fate rest on his shoulders alone. With only 6.5 seconds on the clock, Nohr arcs a 15-foot jumper toward the hoop as he falls out of bounds behind the backboard. Amazingly, he hits nothing but net and the X-Men have earned another spot in the National Championship game.
The Sunday afternoon final was a rematch of the previous year’s finale. X would take on Brandon. It was impossible for anyone to imagine that this game could live up to the previous year’s dramatics where the X-Men scored the final 10 points to snatch victory from the Bobcats. However, the game more than lived up to this level of excitement. In fact, many would argue that this championship game was as dramatic and as exciting as any ever played. Although X leads for much of the way, the Bobcats go in front for the first time with less than two minutes to play. It is now X’s turn to scrap back. And this they do. E.L. Adams and Jordan Croucher make tough baskets to knot the score after Brandon pulls ahead. Then, just before time expires, a whistle blows and a foul is called. The crowd holds its breath. The game is tied and the foul is against Brandon. Dennie Oliver will go to the line – with no time remaining. Make one of two and X retains the title “National Champions”.
With 10,000 fans watching from the stands and thousands more watching on national television, Dennie misses both and all seemed lost. But Dennie Oliver and the X-Men put the disappointment behind them and went about taking care of business in OT. Controlling the game in the extra frame, the X-Men prevailed 83-76. The celebration, merely delayed by an additional five minutes of playing time, was on for real.
The little school that could had won its second consecutive National Championship, its third in eight years. Can anyone say “threepeat”?
