The third edition of the Canadian university men's basketball nationals was held at St. Patrick's High School in Halifax in March of 1965. For a third straight year, the Stu Aberdeen-coached Acadia Axemen were part of the field, along with Windsor, Carleton and Alberta.
Acadia had once again gone through the regular season with just one loss, at St. F.X. - a defeat the Axemen avenged in a challenge match for the Maritime championship.
Due to injuries and player departures, Acadia ended up playing the bulk of the season, including the nationals, with a roster of just seven players – starters Andy Kranack, Steve Konchalski, Dave Rode, Peter Pike and freshman Brian Heaney, along with reserves Jim Clark and Ward White.
The Axemen opened the nationals against Carleton and prevailed 83-79 in a game that required overtime to decide. Steve Konchalski had 20 points at halftime en route to a tournament-record 41-point performance that also established a new school record.
Redemption was on the minds of the Axemen in the national final as, for a third straight year, they took on the Windsor Lancers. The two-time defending champs once again had a formidable squad, but Acadia, despite the limited size of their roster, had most aspects of the game well-covered.
A look at the surviving videotape of the championship game illustrates to even the casual fan how much the game has changed in the almost 53 years since it was played – no shot clock, no great leapers or spectacular dunks, no three-point line – and overall, a slower and more deliberate style of play.
In a true classic, the lead switched hands numerous times. On no less than five occasions, the Axemen overcome five-point deficits to tie the score or take the lead. Trailing by two with time running out, Heaney got the ball to Pike who drove the length of the court for a lay-up that forced overtime.
In the extra session, even though they lost Heaney on fouls, the Axemen were not to be denied, building a 90-83 lead and holding on for a hard-fought 92-87 victory and Acadia's first national title. Even after 53 years, it remains one of the best games ever played at the national tournament.
Konchalski, the tournament MVP, finished with 28 points in the final. His 69 points and 30 field goals overall both set new tournament records, as did Rode's 23 rebounds against Windsor.
Contributed by John DeCoste '77. John's book, Living the Dream: The Acadia Axemen at the Nationals can be purchased by contacting John at jadecoste56@gmail.com