The season is now underway which means league fees are past due.
Please e-transfer $280 to [email protected] and make the password basketball
If you have an issue with payment please talk to me, just don't decide you aren't going to send the money.
Otherwise no excuses. I don't want to be chasing league fees.
Opening night of the St. Thomas Men's Basketball League season was a thriller wtih two of the three games coming down to the final second.
The season opener featured Cole-Munro Foods (missing their top two draft picks) against defending champion Elite Stars Elgin.
What looked like it could be a mismatch on paper, turned out to be anything but.
The Trout came out of the gate hot, and held an early lead and on the back of hot shooting by Harrison Cole (13 first half points) held a 38-33 lead at the break.
The third quarter was a different story as the Stars put up a 26-15 quarter to go up 59-53 heading into the fourth.
Things would get really interesting in the final minute.
Trailing 63-61 in the final minute, Cole hit a three-pointer to give the Trout the 64-63 lead. However after a careless turnover with 33 seconds left, gave the Stars another opportunity and they didn't waste it.
Brian Apfelbeck nailed a three-pointer to go up 66-64.
The Trout had one last desperation shot at the buzzer, and it bounced off the rim for a Stars 66-64 win.
Rob Wakefield had 18 points for the winners, wtih Apfelbeck and Jakob Dugas each scoring a dozen for the winners (1-0).
Kamal Aizimi had 25 points and Cole had 18 points for the Trout (0-1) in a losing cause.
In the middle contest, Mackie's lead throughout en route to a 77-66 victory over Talbot Trail Physiotherapy.
After a slow start shooting the ball, the OrangeAde's caught fire putting up 17 points in the final four minutes of the first quarter to lead 20-11 after one. The Physiotherapists would chip away at that lead and cut the defecit to just six at the break.
It was all Mackie's after that taking a double-digit lead the rest of the way to win their opener. Jack Girden scored 24 points, with Oliver Taylor adding 19 and Brent Lale 11 for Mackie's (1-0).
Andrew Lynch had 23 points and rookie Davis Streib added 18 for Talbot Trail (0-1).
The finale featured a thrilling comeback in the final minute and nearly needed overtime to settle the score.
Trailing 72-62 with 1:30 to go Home Hardware got three pointers from Hogan Dao, Ryan Pflanzer and a three-point play from Sean Milroy to cut the defecit to just one against Ambrose Plumbing.
After a pair of missed free throws, the Home Owners had a chance to win it, but Malik Williams stole the ball at half court and took it for a breakway layup, however he left 2 seconds left on the clock.
Ryan Pflanzer would be fouled on the final shot of the game, giving himself three free throws to tie it.
However when the second bounced off the rim, the Plumbers took a 74-72 win.
Williams scored 31 points in his Men's League debut, with Tai Montfort adding 29 for the Plumbers (1-0).
Pflanzer had 22 points and Juan Carranza 17 for the Home Owners (1-0) in a losing cause.
The St. Thomas Men's Basketball League held its 2026 Draft presented by Elgin Chrysler.
The teams have been selected and a waiting list has been established.
Rosters can be found under the Players tab above.
The schedule will begin Wednesday Oct. 14, 2026.
Following games to be posted shortly .
The regular season is 20 games and playoffs will begin in the new year.
Please e-transfer money ASAP to [email protected] ($280) for the season.
Make the password for the e-transfer -- basketball
Elite Stars Elgin is the 2025-2026 St. Thomas Men's League Champions.
The Stars handed Ambrose Plumbing its first loss of the post-season in the final game 76-58 to win the Herb Hales Memorial Trophy for the first time.
From the opening tip, the Stars came out of the gate with a dominant defensive effort. They would hold the Plumbers to just two field goals in the first quarter, and finished the openng quarter with a 12-0 run to extend a 7-6 lead to 19-6 after ten minutes.
In the second, the Plumbers started to mount a bit of a comeback and and inside out game from Jimmy Hendricksen to both Steve Barton and Andrew Lynch from long range cut the lead to just five. WIth nine first half points, by rookie Josh Vigars, the Stars would hold a 28-23 lead at the half.
(Matt O'Brien gets a high five after hitting a first quarter buzzer beater for the Stars)
In the third quarter, the offence turned up as both teams started to make more shots. The Plumbers made six three pointers in the third, including two each by Lynch and Barton, including Barton's second which tied the game at 46, the first time since the opening tip the game was level.
However, as time expired in the frame, Karsten Groen snuck backdoor for a layup giving the Stars a 48-46 lead after three.
(Tyler Annett lines up a three-pointer for Ambrose which cut the defecit to one point)
In the fourth, with the game tied at 48, the Stars started to make a run. They took advantage of some Plumbers misses, and got out running. They would go on an 11-0 run to make the score 59-48.
It never really got closer as the Plumbers were outscored 28-12 in the final quarter and the Stars cruised to victory.
Mike Morrison had a game high 24 points for the Stars, wtih Vigars adding 19 and Wakefield 16.
Hendricksen had 17 points with Barton (16) and Lynch (15) in a losing cause.
(Elite Stars L-R, Nick Lawrence, Karsten Groen, Matt O'Brien, Rob Wakefield, Dan Scheid, Mike Morrison, Josh Vigars, absent Brian Apfelbeck)
The Playoff MVP was Rob Wakefield who had 16 points in the title game, while holding opposing centre Jimmy Henricksen to 17.
Wakefield averaged 26.3 points per game over seven playoff contests, to claim his first President's Trophy award.
(Rob Wakefield is awarded Playoff MVP by league president Brent Lale)
2025-2026 AWARD WINNERS
Ben Murray Trophy- League MVP
Winner- Jimmy Hendricksen
Ambrose Plumbing centre Jimmy Hendricksen had his best season in the league in 2025-2026. The big man had previously won Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and now he has an MVP to add to his collection. As those in the league can attest, he tried to be more dominant this year and it was just so much more physically dominant than anyone else in the league.
Presidents Trophy- Playoff MVP
Winner- Rob Wakefield
Elite Stars Elgin centre Rob Wakefield was named President's Trophy winner after leading his team to the Herb Hales Memorial Trophy. The 3x regular season MVP averaged 26.3 ppg in the playoffs and helped shut down the league MVP in the final.
Defensive Player of the Year
Winner- Mike Morrison
Elite Stars Elgin wing man Mike Morrison has been named Defensive Player of the Year. He is a physical defender who is assigned to lock down the opponents top offensive weapon. He uses his body and strength with great footwork.
Rookie of the Year
Winner: Nic Roberts-Neef
The Rookie of the Year is Nic Roberts-Neef of Mackie's. The 19-year old averaged 15.4 ppg this season which was second among rookies, and was counted on to play a big man role even though he's a traditional guard or wing. He was a shot-blocking machine while being a key rebounder for the semifinalists.
George Shaw Award- Most Improved Player
Winner- Jack Girden
Jack Girden of Cole-Munro Foods is the George Shaw Award winner for Most Improved Player. Drafted to be a scorer by the Trout, he didn't disappoint averaging a career high 25.3 ppg. Girden scored 20+ points in 15 of his 19 regular season games, and totalled 481 points, up 211 from his previous season. After one 30-point game in his previous two seasons, he hit that mark seven times in 2025-2026.
Mike Parsons Award- Most Dedicated Player
Winner- Oliver Taylor
Rookie Oliver Taylor has been chosen as the Mike Parsons Award winner as Most Dedicated Player. He made 24 of his team's 25 games (only work cost him a perfect season) and he often stayed late or came early to join a team which was short-handed. A young man who "loves the game more than people know" is a great addition to the league.
Fan of the Year
Stephanie Purgret
This award goes hand in hand with Oliver Taylor winning most dedicated. Every game he played, she was in the stands supporting and when asked to come early or stay late, she was there cheering him on.
Ron Barnes (Top Scorer), Herb Hales (FT Champion), 3 PT-FG leader
Winner- Ryan Pflanzer
For the sixth consecutive year, Ryan Pflanzer has won the Ron Barnes Trophy as league scoring champion. He averaged 33.0 ppg and scored 660 pts in 20 regular season games.
Pflanzer also had the highest free throw percentage among qualified scorers going 73-84 from the line for 86.9 %
