Massey hoops squads set for AAAA provincials

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This article was published 12/03/2025 (190 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Not only are the Vincent Massey Vikings are back at varsity girls’ basketball provincials after a decade away, they also have a good chance to end a city-wide drought.

Massey enters AAAA provincials in Winnipeg today — for the first time since 2014 — as the No. 8 seed, facing the ninth-ranked Kelvin Clippers at J.H. Bruns at 6 p.m.

“They’ve certainly put in the time,” said Vikings head coach Derek Barnett.

“We’re lucky to have a lot of seniors this year as well and a lot of great players showing a lot of leadership. They’ve certainly earned their way. That was one of our goals, to get to provincials at as high of a seed as possible.”

The winner plays the top-ranked Dakota Lancers on Saturday at Dakota at 6 p.m.

Just making that game would be the first time a Brandon team advanced past the first round since Crocus Plains in 2011.

The Plainsmen dominated the Brandon High School Basketball League more years than not since then, but this time they were no match for the Vikings.

Jessie Sumner and Kypling Black power the Massey lineup, both at five-foot-11 with solid scoring touch.

“It’s no secret our team’s kind of built around them so I got nothing but praise for both of them, they’ve both done everything I’ve asked of them as players and as leaders,” Barnett said.

“As the season wore on, it was no secret Jessie and Kypling were our top scorers and teams were daring other players to beat them. They were prepared and ready for the moment. Saphiya (DeVlieger) stepped up, Reece (Cowan) stepped up and they were able to help pull us through.”

DeVlieger starts, along with forwards Nicole Nnamani and Ashley Sullivan.

The lineup averages nearly six-foot, but can change quickly if Barnett wants to push the pace.

“You can’t teach size so we’re trying to take advantage of that as much as possible,” Barnett said. “We’re lucky in that we’re versatile that way, can play both big and smaller lineups.”

The Vikings won the Crocus Plains Early Bird tournament in December, then finished first in Neepawa’s event to kick off 2025.

They reached Crocus’s Java Jam final, falling to the No. 2-ranked Vincent Massey Trojans.

That event included a 55-41 victory over their opening-round opponent. Barnett told his team to expect more from the Clippers this time.

“(That score) is a little misleading. The game was pretty close throughout so we’re expecting a good battle,” Barnett said.

MASSEY BOYS CHASE UPSET

On the boys’ side, the No. 12-seed Vikings face the fifth-ranked St. Paul’s Crusaders.

Massey secured its spot as the top team in the city, as soon as Neelin beat Crocus Plains in the semifinal.

The Vikings swept the final series and are looking for a big upset. They have plenty of big-game experience to draw from, with the majority of the team in Grade 9 and 10 last year when the JV squad reached the AAAA final four.

“I keep telling them all the time that there’s levels to this and we’ve got to make the next level,” said head coach Brett Nohr.

“In my time at Massey, this is the first time we’re going in as a 12 seed and it’s a legit 12 seed. The teams that we played throughout the year, we went into some Winnipeg tournaments, played in some more competitive games. We played Oak Park, we played Jeanne-Sauve and played Miles (Macdonell), lost tight ones to them.

“It’s positive for them and they have the thought process … that if we go in and play a really good game, we’ve got a shot.”

Massey reached the final of the J.H. Bruns Bronco Invitational before Christmas, won the Crocus Plains tournament and finished third at the Winnipeg Invitational Tournament.

The Vikings have come through in big moments, impressively for a young group.

There isn’t a senior in the starting lineup, with junior forward Callum Brosseau and sophomore guard Markus Stevenson leading the way offensively.

Grade 10 guard Knox Smith, who played for Team Manitoba at 15-and-under nationals last summer, joins Griffin Zilkey and Logan Van Santen in the five expected to be out there for the opening tip at Dakota at 6 p.m.

“(Stevenson’s) been very, very good, meaning he understands the game, knows where to go and he’s a good passer. He’s got some size to him and that helps,” Nohr said.

“We have decent size, we have decent shooting, we have some kids that come off the bench and can shoot the ball.

“(Defence) is going to be the issue and we’ve worked on it the last three days, how we’re going to defend them. We’ve got to be fast, we’ve got to get back, we can’t play five-on-three, five-on-four.”

The winner plays the No. 4-seed Sisler Spartans on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The girls’ semifinals are on March 19, followed by the boys’ semis on March 20 at the University of Manitoba’s Investors Group Athletic Centre. Both finals are at IGAC on March 24.

• • •

In JV AAAA provincials, the 12th-ranked Massey boys face No. 5 Sisler today at 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s. The Crocus girls, also No. 12, play the Transcona Titans today at Winnipeg’s Vincent Massey Collegiate at 4 p.m.

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