From a 2024 Canadian Armed Forces national title to a just-miss 2025 Atlantic region repeat win, 14 Wing Greenwood’s men’s basketball team is heading into 2026 regionals with varying expectations.
There is just one team member left from that 2024 CAF championship team, Corporal Rich Ronbeck. Half of the 2025 team has turned over, due to military work commitments and postings to and from 14 Wing.
“We’re building from the ground up this year – but that’s the way it goes,” says Ronbeck, this year’s team captain.
Ronbeck and Corporal Yannick Godon help coach the West Kings District High School junior varsity boys’ team. As the 14 Wing team started practices last fall, they approached Sergeant Wayne Jones, the head coach of West Kings’ senior boys’ team.
“We originally asked him to come be a player and a coach – he said, ‘Sure!’” Ronbeck says.
Jones pared down his role to be the 14 Wing team’s coach, and he’s been working with a rolling set of athletes turning out for weekly practices through the winter. The West Kings connections have also proved valuable.
“The West Kings kids have been coming out for practices with our 14 Wing team off and on, which is good for us – we play against their energy, and it adds numbers so we can scrimmage,” says Jones. “The team is coming together.
“Plus, our depth of coaching experience is valuable – we’ll bring that basketball IQ into the games with us.”
The Atlantic region tournament will be hosted by the 5 Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown Warriors at the Gagetown Fitness Centre February 24 to 27. The Warriors will defend their 2025 title against the Greenwood Bombers, the 12 Wing Shearwater Flyers and the CFB Halifax Mariners.
Roster
Corporal Rich Ronbeck
Corporal Yannick Godon
Sailor Third Class Anais Neron
Captain Nathan Alexander
Corporal Nick McNeil
Captain Ramy Nader
Sergeant Wayne Jones
Corporal Quinton Fraser-Oickle
Master Corporal Matt MacLeod
Corporal Koudjo Agbesse
Aviator Kerwin Felsbourg
Aviator Emile Genois
Schedule
February 24
8:30 a.m. opening ceremony
9 a.m. Game 1 Halifax vs Gagetown
2 p.m. Game 2 Shearwater vs Greenwood
7 p.m. Game 3 Gagetown vs Shearwater
February 25
9 a.m. Game 4 Greenwood vs Halifax
2 p.m. Game 5 Gagetown vs Greenwood
February 26
9 a.m. quarterfinal 4th vs 3rd
7 p.m. semi-final Winner QF vs 2nd
February 27
9 a.m. Final Winner SF vs 1st
