Every week until the Canada West Men's Basketball Playoff Tournament, Bison Sports will be sharing the proud history of the Herd's hardcourt program, featuring comments from alum from six different generations of Bisons basketball. Click here for chapter one, and click here to purchase a tournament pass for the Feb.21-25, 12-team CanWest tournament at IGAC.

In the 1970s, men's basketball thrived at the University of Manitoba. The local high school scene produced countless standouts who chose to take their talents to UM, continuing a storied tradition dating back to the 1920s. 
 
Between 1967-1970, Manitoba had a combined overall record of 42-15, finishing as the runners-up in the WCIAA in 1968, 1969 and 1970.
 
Then, in 1971, the Herd – including local sensations like Angus Burr, Ted Stoesz, Bob Town, John Loewen and Ross Wedlake – charged to the CIAU (Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union) national final, claiming the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WCIAA) title along the way. 
 
It was the first of five trips to CIAU nationals for the Herd in the decade, culminating in the program's first and only national title in 1975-76. 
 
Incredibly, Manitoba's overall record in league play in the 1970s was a mind-blowing 101-17, including two undefeated regular seasons in 1977-78 (16-0) and 1974-75 (12-0). Head coach Don Hunter was the lead man during that period, finishing with an overall record of 165-61 between the 1972-81 seasons. 
 
'I looked up to those guys'
The iteration of the Bisons who won in '76 were all local, inspired by the many Manitoba greats who'd paved the way before them. 
 
"Those guys, the year they made the final [in 1971] and the year before that, these guys were good. They had a real presence about them," reflected Rick Watts, a former MHSAA champ for the powerhouse Dakota Lancers in 1969-70 who joined the Herd in 1971-72, playing all five years. 
 
"We used to go to all the games, watching Ball and Stoesz and Town and Wedlake and Loewen and Burr and [Jon] Gurban and Ralph Schoenfeld. These guys were great players."
 
"I looked up to those guys," added Greg Daniels, a dynamic guard and all-star out of Glenlawn who played for Manitoba from 1973-78. "They set the bar of excellence."
 
In those days, high school basketball was also a huge deal, and "everybody went to a game," said Daniels. 
 
"High school sports were big. There was lots of talent throughout the city. The years I played were the same years [guard] Martin [Riley] played. He played for Sisler, they went undefeated. I played for Glenlawn, we'd always lose to them in the final."
 
Riley was the first player to gain a spot on the Canadian National Team right out of high school, winning a provincial title with the Spartans along the way, going 35-0 in 1972-73. 

He's still the only athlete in program history to be named National Player of the Year, earning the honour in 1976-77, while also taking home tournament MVP honours in the Bisons' national championship season. 
 

Memorable high school battles against Riley and countless others helped prepare Watts, Daniels and their fellow teammates for the next level, and the top prospects would be invited to play in the Bisons' summer league. It was an opportunity to meet and connect with the current roster, developing chemistry that was evident year after year on the court. 
 
"For a high school player to be invited to play in the summer league with these university players was a real highlight. And of course you're learning from them too," beamed Daniels.
 
"I remember Jon Gurban [1969-73] picked me to be on his team. I was a high school player, he was a university player. He was teaching me how to penetrate and pass out. He goes, 'just find the opening, great, and pitch out to me for the open shot.' I said okay Jon, I did it over and over again, he goes 'good job you're getting it!' We were these young rookies coming up and being manipulated by these veteran guys, but you just enjoy the moment."
 
Pretty much everyone participated in the summer league, which "helped shape your competitive spirit and edge," according to Watts. And because teammates were together getting better year round, success became the biproduct.
 
"It was really good ball. We used to have drafts. It was completely run by the players. [Don] Hunter booked the gym and said 'you guys do it.' We had volunteer referees who wanted to stay in shape," added the former Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) all-star and CIAU All-Canadian.
 
"It was really competitive because you hated losing to a teammate. [1971-76 standout] Darryl [Rumsey's] team won every year. You played as hard in those games as you would in a college game. They were intense games."
 
Rumsey – a 6'7" Windsor Park grad who still holds the school record for rebounds in a season [199, 1973-74] – along with Watts, were captains of the team's national championship roster. The pair of fifth-years made their marks as rookies, and by their final season were critical starters who rarely ever left the floor. 
 
"I was fortunate enough to play two years with them," noted John Loewen, a 6'5" Churchill product and lights out defensive stopper who played for Manitoba from 1968-73.
 
"Rick was probably one of the best athletes that played at the University of Manitoba. He was a great shooter and just had a great understanding of the game. Daryl came out of high school, tall skinny kid with long hair. He just kept surprising people. He was outstanding. 
 
Back then there weren't a lot of guys that came out of high school and got a lot of time. You sort of had to serve your time on the bench for a couple of years and then you got in the rotation, but both Rick and Daryl stepped in right away out of high school and made an impact immediately."
 
In the case of Rumsey, the running joke was his off-season endurance. 
 
"It's a funny story, we even laugh about it now. Don [Hunter] was always one to say, 'okay, if you don't do this, you're not going to make the team.' We're running the mile. He says 'if you can't run a mile in under 12 minutes, you're not going to be on the team.' Daryl was about 15 minutes. Is Daryl not going to be on the team," laughed Watts. 
 
"It was every year. And then Daryl would get on the court and he'd play 40 minutes and he wouldn't be tired. He had it all. He just conserved energy like nobody. I don't think I've ever seen a player who got position so easily. It didn't matter who he was playing against. He would have a real strong stance, and I would just catch the ball and throw it to him. He was unbelievable on both ends of the court."
 
'Losing really hurt him'
Riley and Daniels, impact guards from 1973-78, helped pace Manitoba's suffocating defence. 
 
"We used to press a lot, and it created a lot of turnovers. We played pretty good defence that led into that transition game," said Daniels.
 
"Rick was a real ball hawk on defence. We had this play where Martin and I were playing defence in a two guard system. Martin would channel his player to the sideline and turn him, and in the meantime I would come across and double him. As soon as [the ballhandler] saw the double they would throw to my check, Rick would come and pick that pass off and go for the breakaway layup. We did that a lot. We had set plays on defence where we were able to make guys go where we wanted them to go."
 
Riley, the 1972-73 high school player of the year, was a complete athlete with a work ethic unlike most. He spent countless hours in the gym working on his craft, and his compete level, and hatred for losing rubbed off on all those around him. 
 
In he and Riley's first season together in 1973-74, the latter was coming off a perfect year with the Spartans. Manitoba had opened the campaign in impressive fashion, but saw their undefeated run snapped by Lakehead on December 7, 1973. 
 
The loss stuck with Riley, and his response was one that Daniels and company will never forget. 
 
"Martin had gone 35-0, and we were 10-0 and then we lost to Lakehead. He sat in the corner and cried and cried. That had a real impact on me on how this guy hates to lose. It had an impact on all of us. I'll never forget that. Losing really hurt him."
 
The Bisons didn't lose another league game the rest of the season, surging to nationals as the GPAC champions. 
 
Unfortunately, top-ranked Manitoba's dreams of a national title were shattered in the opening round of the CIAU Championship Tournament, falling 66-65 to a St. Mary's team that featured eight Americans. Watts was injured, which played a factor in the result for a Bisons team that led 40-35 at the half. 
 
Manitoba had difficulty handling the Huskies press in the second half, as an 11-point lead slowly dwindled. Manitoba went ahead 65-64 on a Rich Stefanyshyn 15-footer with 48 seconds to play but Fred Perry tipped in a rebound with nine seconds to play and the Huskies hung on for the upset.
 
"It was just a complete mental breakdown," said Hunter at the time. "We've always been able to handle the press before. I just don't know what happened."
 
Despite the result, East St. Paul product Angus 'The Ghost' Burr [1969-72, 1973-75] was named a Tournament All-Star. 
 
The crafty 6'1" guard's free-flowing style turned heads across the country. His 899 career points were the most in program history until Eric Bridgeland [1989-93] shattered the record with a total of 1307. Burr's total still ranks ninth all-time.
 
"Terry Ball was one of the very first to have a quick crossover dribble, and a very quick first step. But then Angus played a completely different game. It was between his legs, behind his back," said Watts. 
 
"He always came up so quick for that jump shot. The spin was perfect and he could stop on a dime."
 
'It still bothers me to this day'
The following year, the Bisons were hungry for redemption. They went undefeated in league play, dominating Lakehead in two games to win the GPAC title. 

In game one, Watts went off for a playoff record 43 points on 20-for-25 shooting from the field in a 104-82 victory. All-Canadian Burr was hobbled by a sore ankle, which prevented him from practicing all week, but he still scored 16 as the Bisons solved Lakehead's man-to-man defence. 

In four meetings during the season, Lakehead had used a zone but went to a man-to-man in hopes of an upset. Rumsey added 16 for Manitoba while Riley had 15. 
In game two, Manitoba exploded for 54 points in the second half in an 88-68 win. Rumsey and Watts each scored 20, while Dakota standout and 1976-77 GPAC All-Star Doug Freeth contributed 16 and Burr had nine. 

"Lakehead played a very physical first half," said Don Hunter to the media. 

"They kept pressing us and they upset our offence – we were forced to take bad shots, time and time again. The second half was a different story. The guys knew what they had to do and they went out and got the job done. We began pressing Lakehead and they were the ones who were taking the bad shots in the last half." 

Ranked No. 2 in the nation, the Bisons beat wild card Ottawa 73-67 in the opening round of nationals, and battled back from a double digit deficit to shock Acadia 73-71 to reach the final. 

The Axemen led by as much as 12 in the third quarter, but Manitoba surged back to tie the game at 67 on two Watts free throws with 2:12 to go. They took their first lead, 71-69 with 50 seconds left on a bucket from Burr before Acadia tied it up, leading to heroics from Rumsey with no time on the clock. 

Martin Riley confidently brought the ball up court, finding the big man inside for a layup as time expired. Watts led Manitoba with 19 points, while Burr, in his final season, had 14. 

In the championship, the Bisons met an undefeated Waterloo Warriors team that was reeling from tragedy earlier in the year. 

In January of 1975, star centre Mike Moser, [national most valuable player trophy is named after him] died following a heart attack brought on by a blood clot produced by a bacteria called endocarditis. The death left the nation's basketball fans in shock and the Warriors in mourning. 

For the entire 74-75 season, the team only introduced four starters at the beginning of each contest, honoring the late Moser. 

In front of 6000 fans, Waterloo rallied from an eight point deficit with four minutes to go, scoring on a 30-foot jumper from reserve centre Phil Goggins with four seconds to play in an 80-79 win. 

Uncharacteristic turnovers hurt Manitoba down the stretch, something the players still remember.
 

"We had that game. It still bothers me to this day. We took control of that game, and they were so good. I think they were undefeated or maybe had one loss. We just played with them," said Watts. 
 
"Martin was up against [national team member] Billy Robinson and Billy did nothing, and Charlie Chambers who was a First Team All-Canadian the year before, he transferred over to Waterloo and Greg was checking him. Their back court did nothing. We have nobody to blame but ourselves. We blew it."
 
'We had one goal'
The heartache from '75 fueled the team the following season.
 
Daniels, Watts, Rumsey, Riley, Freeth and 6'8" Portage product Grant Watson [1974-78], who "blossomed into one of the best players in the nation" the two years following, controlled most of the squad's minutes, while 6'7" Ray McKall also added depth inside. 
 
Manitoba went 10-2 in league play, sweeping Brandon to win the GPAC crown yet again. 
 
For as good as their starters were, their reserve players had just as crucial a role, creating a high-intensity practice environment. 
 
"There were 15 guys – ten players, two coaches, three support staff. Those 15 guys were committed. They showed up to every practice and game. Guys if they weren't feeling well were there. If a guy wasn't there he was told not to be there. It was a full-on commitment by those 15," recalled Daniels. 
 
"Those guys were bought in. We had some harder games in practice than we did actual games. It was a dog fight, every practice was very competitive. There was no time off."
 
Guard Randy Kusano, a long-time coach and mentor to so many in the local basketball scene, also joined the Herd for the national championship season. 
 
He'd won three national titles in the Winnipeg Junior League, and despite being the smallest player on the team at 5'6", he was a pest on defence. 
 
"Randy was sort of known as the rabbit's foot. The year he came to our team, we won. Randy was a great teammate. I don't know how he did it, because he also coached the JV team during the year. He was going to university obviously, in phys ed and he had to hold a job to make money. He worked at the bookstore and played on our team. Randy was the leader of the other five," said Daniels. 
 
"He got the other guys ready to be really competitive. Randy was an excellent defensive player, and he'd guard Martin and drive Martin nuts, being in his face. Martin's ball handling I'm sure improved because of Randy guarding him. Randy is one of those solid, good guys to have on a team and be a friend with and be around."
 
At the national tournament, the Herd's big-time players came up clutch again.
 
Watts and Riley combined for 54 points in a 97-69 win over Windsor in the quarterfinals, while Daniels scored 20 and Freeth had 16 in an 87-77 win over Waterloo in the semis, avenging last year's championship loss. 
 
In the final in front of over 5200 fans at the Halifax Forum, the Bisons made history, bringing home their first and only national title. 
 
Watts, an All-Canadian and tournament all-star, led all players with 25 points, and didn't miss a shot in the second half in an 82-69 win, while Riley earned tournament MVP honours, adding 21 in the contest.
 

"Rick felt like he wasn't getting the ball enough," laughed Daniels.
 
"Martin and I were the guards at the time and he just pulled us aside and he basically told us to give him the ball. Anyhow, we did. He wanted the ball more and we gave him the ball."
 
The key, for Watts and company, was the team's chemistry, and their relentless desire to bring championship gold back to the province of Manitoba.
 
An entirely local roster, their accomplishment stands as one of the proudest moments in the history of Bison Sports. 
 
"We had one goal and that was to win the national championship. Even when we lost, we had one goal, to win the national championship," said Watts. 
 
"During the season it was our life. Everybody hung around with everybody. You had the usual locker room banter before and after practice. Nobody disappeared unless you had a test or something. We were always hanging around."
 

Two years later, Riley and Daniels, in their final season, led Manitoba to another undefeated regular season and birth at nationals. Riley went on to coach the program for three seasons, beginning in 1981-82. His name carried weight, and was part of the reason why future stars Tony House and Terry Garrow committed to the program out of Ontario in 1983. Their journeys, en route to a GPAC title and nationals birth in 1985 and '86, will be shared in chapter three next week.