It wasn't quite Diego Maffia's 96-point performance in 2019, but maybe Payton Pritchard really does have that 'Mamba Mentality.'
Fans began lining up outside UVic’s CARSA hours before tip-off, drawn by the rare chance to see NBA talent compete on Vancouver Island.
By game time Thursday night, nearly 2,300 people had filled every seat – the largest crowd in Ball Don’t Stop Pro-Am history – as Victoria showed it can stand shoulder to shoulder with Canada’s biggest basketball cities.
Since launching in 2016, the Pro-Am has been staged in Vancouver and Toronto, but Victoria's debut set a new attendance standard – and the on-court action matched the scale of the event.
In the night’s finale, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard stole the show, pouring in 68 points to lead The Grind past PNW Sports Group 107-98, breaking his own scoring record of 61 from 2023, and earning game MVP.
The sixth-year NBA point guard, fresh off being named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, was in full attack mode from the opening tip.
Pritchard’s combination of deep shooting, tight ball-handling and ability to finish in traffic drew repeated roars from the packed stands. The 27-year-old was joined by fellow NBA players Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies and Mouhamed Gueye of the Atlanta Hawks, as well as CEBL pros, European imports and university stars.
For the University of Victoria faithful, there was plenty to cheer beyond the NBA names.
Several Vikes suited up on their home floor, including Shadynn Smid, who finished with eight points and five rebounds.
Sharing the court with top-tier pros was a milestone in his young career.
“It was such a great experience,” Smid said. “To be on the same court as guys that I watch on TV felt surreal. Before the game, Payton told us what he was going to do, and to see him match his words with actions was special to be a part of."
Renoldo Robinson led the UVic contingent with 22 points, while Ethan Boag, Griffin Arnatt, Ryan Gallagher and Cam Slaymaker also contributed. Camosun College’s David Finch joined them in representing the local post-secondary scene.
While the Pro-Am was the main attraction, the night opened with a high school all-star game between Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland boys.
For Vikes fans, it doubled as a first look at the future of the program, with incoming UVic recruits Tyler Felt, Toren Franklin and Justin Hinrichsen suiting up for the Island side.
The trio wasted no time making an impact in front of what will soon be their home crowd.
Franklin led the group with 17 points, while adding six rebounds and seven assists. Felt posted 13 points and nine rebounds, and Hinrichsen added 11 points and seven boards.
For Felt, fresh off helping Spectrum Thunder capture back-to-back B.C. AAAA provincial titles alongside Hinrichsen, Thursday was the perfect introduction to university basketball life.
“The crowd was amazing,” Felt said. “It’s pretty much a packed-out crowd, so yeah, it was a good first game. I’m super excited to keep playing in front of these big crowds next year and have that energy of being at home.”
He also embraced the chance to share the court with his fellow recruits before their first official season together.
“Three of us have been friends since like Grade 2, so we’re keeping that together,” Felt said. “The team’s here at UVic is great. We’ve been getting better already, so it’s gonna be good year.”
The Island side came away with the win in the opener, setting the stage for Pritchard’s record-breaking performance in the nightcap.
