How Jonas Munroe and Tim Ellison’s brotherhood will guide them on their path to nationals
By Ben Broadbent

Jonas Munroe, co-captain of the Mount Allison Mounties varsity basketball team and a Moncton, New Brunswick native, began playing basketball at seven years old. Tim Ellison, the 6’10” centre and co-captain of the Mounties from Halifax, Nova Scotia, picked up a basketball around the same age. Their paths would not cross until September 2021 at training camp with Coach Steve Chapman in Sackville, New Brunswick. Despite having no prior connection, their bond as teammates, leaders, and brothers has grown rampantly ever since.

While Munroe was playing for Moncton’s provincial basketball team, the Moncton Hawks, and later for Harrison Trimble High School, Ellison was suiting up for the Halifax Hurricanes and Citadel High School. Before growing seven inches in grade eleven, Ellison was the Citadel quarterback in grade ten.

At Harrison Trimble, Jonas’s high school teacher and former assistant coach for Mount A helped initiate the idea of becoming a Mountie in the future captain’s mind. Intending to play post-secondary basketball in grade eleven and having watched older guys from Moncton take a similar path, Munroe says, “To continue their legacy was pretty cool.” In the Fall of grade twelve, Coach Chapman reached out to Munroe to begin the recruitment process, with the forward committing in the winter.

Mount Allison holds a special place in the Ellison bloodline. Not only did his brother attend Mount A, but his mother and father played varsity volleyball and football, respectively. “It was always my first school looking out,” remembers Ellison, “because obviously the academics are pretty good and I was happy that I could play basketball as well.” Ellison contacted Coach Chapman in December of grade 12 and committed to suit up in garnet and gold in the springtime.

The now third-year veterans remember the surreal experience as rookies fresh out of high school. Unlike mature first-year students, Munroe and Ellison stepped into the McCormack Gymnasium as 18-year-olds. Each of them remembers the steep learning curves necessary to overcome in their early days to develop into the prominent roles they hold today. Ellison battled in the centre position against veteran Sam Pierson each practice, while Munroe transitioned from the guard position to a forward with the Mounties. Developing alongside someone in the same class has been beneficial in experiencing growing pains and learning how to become impactful university players together.

However, nothing makes adjusting to university life easier than playing with your best friend. Third-year guard Simon Tector is rarely seen on campus without Munroe by his side. Now roommates and taking similar classes, the two athletes have been able to relate outside of basketball. Despite their differing on-court roles, Tector is the first to jump off the bench and pat Jonas on the back when things are going well on the floor. Their friendship is something to admire.

For Ellison, having earned more playing time in his second year allowed him to develop into one of the top rebounders in Atlantic Canada and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Knowing his role would be enhanced in year three with the Mounties, the host school for the 2024 CCAA National Basketball Championships, Ellison put in the necessary work over the offseason to prepare for the best in the nation to arrive in Sackville in March.

The Mounties have been preparing for this tournament with inter-conference competition. On February 9th, they took down the second overall Mount Saint Vincent Mystics 68-64. The last time these two teams faced off on December 3rd, the Mystics were victorious in a decisive 100-42 victory. In this previous contest, Ellison was unavailable, and others were injured.

Munroe notes how challenging it is to secure wins against top ACAA squads, especially going into the Mount undermanned. Heading into this matchup against a potential national opponent, the win resulted from extraordinary attention to detail, a testimony to the hard work the Mounties put in every practice.

With less than a month until tip-off at the national tournament, to be held in Sackville, NB, from March 13th to the 16th, Ellison mentions, “There is a little bit of responsibility on us to make sure the team is focused.” As the captains understand, there is no room for error at the national level. It will take time for the moment to set in, and the calibre of basketball brought by the incoming teams will be unmatched by what the Mounties are accustomed to. However, understand that the Mounties, led by Ellison and Munroe, are ready for this challenge.

Despite being titled underdogs, this group is meshing at precisely the right time. Quick chemistry with new additions and rookies has only aided the process. Seeing the first years make the same mistakes that Ellison and Munroe made in their early days reminds them “[...] to be there for [the rookies] the way the vets were there for us when we made those mistakes.” This type of team, a family, can come together at any time to win against any opponent.

While the Mounties could finish last in the conference, be eliminated in the first round of playoffs, and still qualify for nationals as the host school, they have higher aspirations. Ellison insists, “We don’t want to take the back door into Nationals just because we’re hosting.” They want to earn this opportunity.