Vikes players joined by NBA stars at Canada’s largest basketball showcase
Photo via TriVision.
Victoria’s basketball community was given much to be excited about earlier this month, when the Ball Don’t Stop Pro-Am, hosted on Aug. 7, was brought to the Vikes home court at the Centre for Athletics, Recreation, and Special Abilities (CARSA) Performance Gymnasium.
The Ball Don’t Stop Pro-Am is an annual summer basketball event which began in 2016. Bringing together top talent at the high-school, collegiate, and professional levels, the games showcase basketball at the highest levels in communities across the nation.
After being hosted in Vancouver and Toronto in previous years, this marks the first time that the Pro-Am has come to Victoria. Every seat in CARSA was filled to form a whopping crowd of nearly 2 300 people — the largest in Ball Don’t Stop’s history.
Additionally, a kids basketball camp was held on the day after the game, where local players were able to learn the game and develop their skills under coaching from active NBA players — a rare opportunity in Canada.
Ball Don’t Stop has repeatedly brought electric NBA talent north of the border, with exciting players such as Shaedon Sharpe, Bones Hyland, Norman Powell, and Scottie Barnes making appearances over the past few summers. This year was no different.
Alongside established Vikes and local Victoria hoopers, Boston Celtic’s point guard and reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year award-winner, Payton Pritchard, as well as Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells, and Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye, suited up for the game.
On the local side of the action, Vikes men’s basketball teammates Griffin Arnatt, Ethan Boag, Renoldo Robinson, Shadynn Smid, and Ryan Gallagher took to the court as well.
In a box score shattering performance, Pritchard poured in an absurd 68 points during the game. Known for his world-class handles and elite shot-making ability, Pritchard got it done from all three scoring levels on the court. The show he put on for the fans broke Ball Don’t Stop’s previous scoring record of 61, which Pritchard himself had set during the 2023 Pro-Am in Vancouver.
For Vikes fans, Renoldo Robinson tallied a substantial 22 points — the highest among Vikes players’ contributions.
Coming off the heels of UVic’s first national championship since 1997, the men’s basketball program has quite the momentum going into next season, and hosting a high-profile event such as this has only increased that excitement.
In a statement to the Martlet, Vikes men’s basketball Head Coach, Murphy Burnatowski shared why Victoria was the perfect spot for this year’s Pro-Am.
“Having events like this in our gym help showcase the strong basketball community that already exists, and that is constantly growing, here in Victoria. We are lucky to be able to have that type of atmosphere in our home gym, but it’s not something we aren’t used to. This Pro-Am just continued to prove why UVic provides the best in-game experience in [U Sports].”
For members of the Vikes squad who are going into the upcoming season with the hopes of defending their national title, stepping onto the court with such high-level talent reflects their own desires for greatness.
“Obviously sharing the court with NBA players is an exciting experience, but I just try to stress that there isn’t a huge difference in skill level at the top and they are all capable of competing at any level as long as they stay confident in themselves,” said Burnatowski.
A familiar face in Canada Basketball’s national program, Burnatowski also commented on how the growth of events like the Pro-Am reflects the growth of basketball across Canada.
“Canada Basketball has become a powerhouse worldwide, so there is no reason we shouldn’t be at the forefront in showcasing our players and teams in exciting events like this at home.”
Terrell Evans, a former player and current assistant coach for the Vikes, as well as the founder of The Grind Basketball, a local youth club, helped organize the event. In an interview with the Martlet, Evans emphasized just how proud he was of the turnout, specifically for the youth camp that accompanied the game.
“The camp was incredible. Over 180 kids from all over came to be a part of it…. All three NBA guys were there…. The energy inside that gym in CARSA for four hours was incredible, you really had to be there. I know the kids soaked up the game and soaked up the knowledge…. I don’t think I’ve seen a camp with 180 kids at it, ever.” said Evans.
“To bring something like that to Victoria… honestly I’m still in shock,” he said.
“It was a very memorable thing for the kids. I think they’re going to share that for a long, long time.”
