U of Winnipeg men's basketball alumni reflect on early 1990s success, trips to nationals

A trip to the Canadian university men's basketball championship was the goal for the Winnipeg Wesmen in the early 1990s.

Head coach Bill Wedlake led the Wesmen to nationals three consecutive seasons — 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 — but a celebration with the W. P. McGee Trophy in Halifax alluded each of his teams.

"The first time you were there, you're not quite sure what this thing is all about. The second year, you've got a bit of confidence. The third year should be the culmination of that and it didn't necessarily work out," Wedlake said over the phone from his cottage in Nopiming Provincial Park.

Twenty-nine years after the Wesmen last competed in the eight-team national championship tournament, they're back in Halifax.

And Wedlake, who spent 16 seasons coaching the men's hoops team prior to becoming the school's athletic director, is among those thrilled to see his old team back in the spotlight.

"I'm very, very pleased. I know the coach extremely well, Mike Raimbault, and I'm glad for the team. I'm glad for the university. I'm glad for Mike," Wedlake said.

He was at both of Winnipeg's Canada West conference playoff victories last month — an 87-84 buzzer-beating victory over the Brandon Bobcats in triple overtime on Feb. 18, and a nail-biting 73-70 triumph over the Manitoba Bisons on Feb. 25.

The Wesmen victory over their cross-town rivals earned them a spot in the conference title for the first time since joining Canada West more than 20 years ago, and more importantly a place at U Sports nationals.

Winnipeg lost 95-80 to the host University of Victoria Vikes last Friday, settling for Canada West silver.

'We did pretty good'

Like his former head coach, former all-Canadian (one of the highest distinctions for university varsity athletes) and fellow Basketball Manitoba Hall of Fame inductee Norm Froemel is looking forward to watching the Wesmen compete on the national stage once again.

Froemel, 50, was an integral member of all three Winnipeg teams that played at nationals in the early 1990s before venturing off to Germany for seven years of professional hoops. 

The seven-foot centre was named a national tournament all-star in 1992, but the Wesmen didn't reach the final, falling 88-66 to the Saint Mary's Huskies in the semifinals. 

Winnipeg returned to nationals via a wild-card berth in 1993, but went 0-2.

The Wesmen earned a third consecutive ticket to nationals after eliminating both the Bisons and Bobcats in GPAC playoffs.

"It was hard fought for sure and when you earned the right it's definitely sweeter because you know there's only one team that's guaranteed," Froemel said. "The way to do it, to go there, is through a winning opportunity, and when you got to Halifax it was a whole other level."

Led by national player of the year and two-time all-Canadian Jeff Foreman, Winnipeg opened its 1994 national tournament with an 89-78 win over the Cape Breton Capers. Foreman and guard Rob Derksen each poured in 19 points, with Froemel leading the Wesmen with 24 points against the Capers.

The Wesmen started ice cold in the semifinal against the McMaster Marauders, mustering just 13 points in the opening 13 minutes. 

Winnipeg reduced the deficit to three early in the second half, but they were unable to get closer and lost 75-66.

Foreman finished with 22 points in the final game of his university career, and Froemel was held to 13 points.

"You always wish you could have done better. There's always plays that you think back on … but really there can only be one winner unfortunately, and there's a whole lot of teams that don't get that feeling," Froemel said.

Despite falling short of a national championship, Froemel looks back and is proud of what he and his Wesmen teammates accomplished.

"It's the sense of accomplishment of even getting that far, which is always the best that you can think about right at that moment. You never are happy and years later you realize, hey we did pretty good," Froemel said.

He says he keeps in touch with members of that 1993-94, including Wedlake and forwards Chris Chartier and Steve Newton, all three of whom were at Winnipeg's semifinal win over Manitoba.

"The the older you get, the more we wanna do [hang out], and we talk about memories and talk about all sorts of things. The basketball games are a great reason to go and get out there and and see some basketball and talk about old times, too," Froemel said.

The Wesmen men will try to do what the Wesmen women's hoops team did last year — reach the national final.

Winnipeg's quest for a first national championship in program history begins Friday at noon with a quarter-final match up against the Ontario University Athletics champion Ottawa Gee-Gees at Scotiabank Centre.

Ottawa defeated Winnipeg 70-61 in the final of the Wesmen Classic on Dec. 30.

Every game from Halifax will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.