For the first time since 1997, the University of Victoria Vikes men's basketball team are national champions.
Victoria defeated the University of Calgary Dinos 82-53 in the final to claim the hardware and finish the season 25-1.
The Vikes took control early, jumping to a 12-2 lead with key contributions from Shadynn Smid, Ethan Boag, Sam Maillet, and Renoldo Robinson. Victoria's defence was stifling, forcing three turnovers and holding Calgary scoreless for over seven minutes in the first quarter, which ended 18-6.
A 9-0 run in the second quarter extended the Vikes' lead to 29-11, and they went into halftime up 40-23, despite struggling from beyond the arc. The Vikes continued to dominate in the second half, outscoring Calgary 25-19 in the third and finishing strong in the fourth, securing an 82-53 win for their ninth national title.
First-year head coach and Canada West coach of the year Murphy Burnatowski explained that the feeling of being national champions has yet to settle in.
"I don't think it's had a chance to set in. We were so focused on this goal all year and it was so nonstop, but it's gonna be nice to have some downtime and just reflect on the season and how it happened," Burnatowski said.
The Vikes battled adversity all season, with two of the biggest challenges occurring over the past two weeks, culminating in a full-circle moment.
In the Canada West semifinals, the Vikes had their undefeated season snapped in a home-court loss to the Dinos. They remained focused following the defeat, beating the University of Manitoba Bisons in a must-win game to earn their berth in the national tournament.
"We learned that we weren't unstoppable," Burnatowski said. "We obviously didn't come to play like we usually do in that semifinal game, and you got to give a lot of credit to Calgary for taking us out of our comfort zone. Getting them in the finals felt like it was going to be a storybook ending if we could get the job done."
Victoria started their quest for the national title in the quarterfinals against Bishop's, and it was not the start they sought. The fifth-seeded Gaiters jumped out to an 18-4 advantage, putting Victoria in a familiar position of adversity – one they were able to overcome once again.
That win set up a national semifinal matchup with the top-ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
Victoria went on to defeat Ottawa 85-75, sending the program to their first national championship final since 2006.
Fifth-year guard Sam Maillet earned the Jack Donohue Trophy as tournament MVP. The Moncton, N.B. product led the way for the Vikes, totaling 40 points, 22 rebounds, and 13 assists over three games.
Maillet said the team thrived by sticking to the structured style that had carried them all season.
"We just got back to being ourselves. We've said all year, we want to have more fun than the other team," Maillet said in a statement. "We played together and played for each other. We had nothing to lose and everything to win, and we played like that. We were hungry, starving for a title, and we got it done."
Burnatowski, impressed with Maillet's confidence and composure, said the recognition was well deserved.
"The confidence that he played with this weekend was something I haven't seen, especially on the offensive end. He was just so comfortable out there, and I think he's just grown so much. I couldn't be prouder of him," Burnatowski said. "He's always been doing the dirty work his whole career, but for him to finally get the recognition for how great of a player he is on both ends was everything."
Many Victoria supporters made the trip to UBC for the tournament, including legendary Vikes coach Ken Shields.
"He's been supporting us all year. He's the biggest Vikes fan through and through. He wants to see the program do well and has been super supportive of me and my transition there," Burnatowski said. "I can't thank him enough for being around the program and giving me some guidance along the way. He's been a great asset to have, especially as a young coach."
The national champion Vikes will begin their quest for a repeat in September, with the national runner-up Dinos set to host the tournament in March 2026.
