For many years, the Hoop Classic has been proud to reward local players with Bursaries to assist them with their post-secondary educations. For over a decade now the program has rewarded one player from each school and, since 2010, over $28,000 has been awarded through contributions made from the community including friends and family members for whom the Bursaries are named.
For the 2024 tournament, we will be again be awarding a bursary in memory of Melvin “Bucky” Brine, Earl “The Pearl” Arsenault and Allan O’Blenis and introducing one in memory of a recently departed friend to our basketball community, Bruce Cross. As well, we are beyond proud to be adding two more to honor Roger Cormier and Rene Morias, two indispensable members of the Francophone basketball community and builders of the Mathieu Martin and Odyssey High School programs.
All 6 local High Schools, whether their teams qualify or not, will be honored every year under this program. This is representative of our tournament’s goal to be community and student focused and a real source of pride for our committee and sponsors.
About the bursary program
Melvin ‘Bucky’ Brine was a giant of a man who left an equally large legacy to the game of basketball in Metro Moncton. Bucky played for several teams through his long career – Moncton High School, St. Thomas College in Miramichi, Universite de Moncton, The Moncton Alpines – before finishing his playing days in the masters’ and grand masters’ leagues.
Bucky was also a coach and in his later years enjoyed nothing more than watching his grandchildren develop their own basketball skills in the Moncton Kiwanis Minor Basketball Association system. On many Saturdays, Bucky and his wife, Debbie, were a fixture at morning MKMBA games, often racing between four different gyms to make sure he saw all of his grandkids in action.
It is a fitting honour to Bucky Brine’s contributions and love of basketball that the take home championship trophy for the Crandall University Men’s Hoop Classic is named in his memory.
Melvin 'Bucky' Brine
Earl 'The Pearl' Arsenault
Earl ‘The Pearl’ Arsenault knew three different languages: English, French and Basketball.
Earl’s introduction to the sport began at the Assomption Youth Centre, with the Biddy Basketball program. He went on to play on many teams including St. Pat’s, East End Boys and Girls Club, Harrison Trimble, Moncton High, Community College, U de M, in Jasper, Alberta and several years of men’s masters and grand masters divisions in Moncton.
Most games included his trademark “swish” shot and good camaraderie. In 1969, he was the NBIAA Foul Shooting Champion and in 1974, he was the MVP at U de M. Earl also coached MKMBA girls’ basketball teams.
Earl was truly one of a kind and his calm demeanor defined him. He was an avid Toronto Raptors fan, never left the house without a basketball (or several) in his bag and will always be remember for his unconditional love for the game.
The family of Earl Arsenault is very grateful to the organizing committee of the Crandall University Men’s Hoop Classic for recognizing him through this bursary program.
Allan O'Blenis
Al O’Blenis is Riverview basketball. There isn’t a men’s player or coach in the last 40 plus years whose success can’t be traced back to his influence. Even if you’d never met him or been impacted directly by his coaching, YOUR coach most certainly was. You were grittier because Al, even while flashing that trademark smile, inserted toughness and intensity into the bloodstream. You were more skilled because Al instilled a love in the game of so many that came before you that it raised the game of everyone around him. And you were more successful because Al made it clear that winning should be a CONSISTENT expectation because we all had it in us. He did all that so very quietly and without fanfare.
As the clock ticked down to zero at the Aitken Centre in ’94, giving RHS it’s first AAA Boys title, Al’s face was the first Tournament Chairman, Dave Tingley, noticed in the crowd. I ran up to him blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. “This is because of YOU Al!” I had nearly forgotten about it until an alumni game years later when he pulled me aside and told me he thinks of that moment now and then, and how much it surprised and moved him. And he meant it, because that’s who he was.
Modest, genuine and just happy to have been a part of the success. He just didn’t fully grasp how big a part he was. “He was modest when we won and hated to lose,” his beloved wife Mary Lyn says about him now. “I was proud to hold the man’s hand.”
Bruce Cross
Bruce Cross’s impact on the Moncton basketball community began in 1987 when he joined Moncton Minor Basketball as a coach, leading his son Brad’s team. His dedication quickly propelled him into leadership roles, where he served on the executive committee and later as president throughout the 1990s. Under Bruce’s leadership, the Moncton Kiwanis Minor Basketball Association (MKMBA) saw its enrollment double, establishing it as one of the top minor basketball programs in Atlantic Canada.
Bruce became involved with the Hoop Classic in 1997, taking on the role of Tournament Chairman, a position he held for 11 years. During his tenure, he elevated the Hoop Classic into one of the premier basketball tournaments in Canada, known for its high level of competition and exceptional organization. In addition to his contributions as a tournament organizer, Bruce dedicated over 18 years as a coach with the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Harrison Trimble High School.
Beyond basketball, Bruce was equally committed to the local baseball community. He coached for Moncton Minor Baseball, Team New Brunswick, and the Moncton Mudcats, demonstrating the same passion and dedication he brought to the basketball court.
Bruce Cross was known for his selfless volunteerism and unwavering commitment to supporting young athletes. He quietly and humbly provided financial sponsorships for many athletes each year, ensuring they had the opportunity to compete at higher levels. A true leader, Bruce believed that people always came first, whether he was coaching high school teams, managing Moncton Minor Basketball, or running his own business.
Bruce’s genuine, kind, and compassionate nature made everyone he met feel valued. His ability to uplift and inspire those around him earned him admiration and love from the entire community. The Bruce Cross Scholarship honors his extraordinary legacy and continues his mission of supporting young athletes.
Roger Cormier
Rene Morais
Rene is an avid sports fan, who grew up as a multisport athlete in Bathurst, having played basketball, hockey, baseball, and soccer at the provincial and high school levels. He has continued his multisport ways as a coach in Moncton, serving as a basketball and baseball coach for various organizations, at various levels and age groups.
Through his efforts as a recreational and competitive coach and volunteer with Moncton Minor Basketball, he has had an impact on the game of basketball in our community. Over the past 5 years, he has also coached both junior and senior varsity at École L’Odyssée, and during that time, he essentially created a junior varsity program, which has resulted in significant growth of the program at this school, and in the greater francophone basketball community.