…established two C.I.A.U. scoring records and was named the tournament’s M.V.P. as Axemen won their first National basketball title in 164-’65
Steve Konchalski, a New York City native and a 1966 Acadia graduate, must certainly be ranked as one of the all-time greats of Canadian Intercollegiate basketball.
During his four memorable years as a basketball Axeman, Steve eclipsed many of the cherished Acadia scoring records. In
his rookie season of 162-’63, he combined with such luminaries as Peter Simmonds and Charlie Thomas to lead the Axemen to victories over St.F.X. and St. Dunstan’s, thus qualifying for the Nationals held in Windsor, Ontario. There, the top-rated Stu Aberdeen -directed team defeated U.B.C. 55-36. In the finals against Assumption, Steve, Ronnie Ayes and Dan Parrinelli were offensive stars in a losing cause.
In ’63-‘64, the Axemen, playing their home games at the K.C.A. gym in Kentville, repeated as Maritime Intercollegiate
champs by sweeping aside St. F .X. and Mt. Allison. At the Nationals, Windsor University Lancers defended their title by blasting the Axemen 107-69.
The opening game of the ’64-165 schedule was another outstanding one for Steve as he established anew Acadia field goal record on his way to a 48 point night. Disposing of St. F.X. in playoff action, the Acadia squad again qualified for the Canadian championship tournament hosted in Halifax at the St. Pat’s gym. On that historic occasion, the Axemen won their first ever National basketball title as they defeated Carleton Ravens and the Windsor Lancers. To win the prestigious McGee Trophy, the Acadia team received tremendous year-long performances from Pike, Rode, Kranack, Heaney, Clark, White, Lumsden and Konchalski.
Individually, in that tournament, Steve Konchalski established two C.I.A.U. records by netting 41 points in a single game and 69 in the two-game series. To make the victory even more enjoyable, he was judged the tournament’s M.V.P. and joined teammate Brian Heaney on the all-star team.
In his senior year, he and his teammates won the Conference title once more. At the Nationals, Steve scored 22 points in a
loss to the Windsor University Lancers. In the consolation contest against Carleton, he scored 28 points as the Axemen won rather easily. As his tour of duty at Acadia concluded, this offensive standout had established, with 1,479 points, an Acadia career scoring record.
Following graduation, of course, Steve became tremendously successful as a basketball coach. In his nineteen years of coaching at St. F.X., the one-time Acadia standout has led the Xaverians to 369 victories, 18 consecutive appearances in the A.U.A.A. playoffs and six trips to the C.I.A.U. Nationals. In guiding the X-men to their first-ever C.I.A.U. National championship in March of 1993, he became only the second person to win C.I.A.U. titles as both a player and coach.
The 1988 Seoul Olympics marked the end of his sixteen-year tenure as assistant to Jack Donohue with the Canadian National Team. In this capacity, he represented Canada on four Olympic teams.
It is certainly a privilege to welcome back to Acadia for induction to the Sports Hall of Fame Stephen J. Konchalski, a gentleman of extraordinary playing and coaching ability who recently was duly honoured with induction to the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.
