1973 CIAU national basketball champions Saint Mary's Huskies to be honoured this week

Momentous win: Hall-of-Famers at 50 A look back at Saint Mary’s legendary team of ’73, ahead of the CIS Men’s Basketball Championships.

If you ask Mickey Fox to recall the 1973 national championship winning Saint Mary’s Huskies, he can't believe it's been five decades.

“50 years ago, are you kidding me," said Fox. "I’m standing here and we are still talking about it.”

The years have flown by but the memories have not faded.

“We had a very young team," said former player Peter Halpin. "There were only two of us who are actual third-year players.”

Prior to 1973, Head Coach Brian Heaney recruited a group of American student athletes to come to Halifax to play basketball.

“He brought in some really talented players from New Jersey and New York,” said Halpin, including Mickey Fox from New York.

“When you think about the best basketball player of the province, it is probably Mickey Fox," said Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame CEO Bruce Rainnie. "He came to light in 1973.”

Fox scored 39 points in the 1973 CIAU Championship win over Lakehead and was named tournament MVP.

"It was a magical time," said Fox. "Nine of the eleven were Americans who had no idea what they were getting themselves involved with.”

According to Rainnie, the ‘73 huskies may have had a lot of players who were not from Nova Scotia, but many chose to stay here in later years.

“They made basketball better and they made life better here," said Rainnie. "They’re great guys.”

This weekend, the 1973 huskies will be honoured.

“We will get started at the Hall of Fame at Saint Mary’s on Friday morning," said Halpin.

Halpin added there are several ceremonial events planned to take place at the CIS Final 8 to celebrate a national basketball championship that was won by Saint Mary's 50 years ago.