Two Winnipeg athletes taking court for March Madness 2025

From the courts of Winnipeg to the most sought after stage in student athletics, some of the city’s own will soon be taking to the court as part of the NCAA’s March Madness 2025 tournament.

Winnipeg’s Kyler Filewich and Simon Hildebrandt  are just two of the hundreds of elite athletes vying for NCAA greatness during the tournament, which starts this week and concludes in early April. 

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Hildebrandt, the six-foot-nine forward who attended Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, saying he’s still wrapping his head around the fact he’s playing in the world-renowned event. 

Hildebrandt, a University of Manitoba Bison alum, is now playing for the High Point University Panthers of North Carolina and says his team was “built for March Madness.”

“This has been our goal since we all got here,” he said. 

The basketball team have won 14-straight headed into the tournament and Hildebrandt says now it’s time to execute. 

Historic first for Winnipeg

Asked about the fact both he and Filewich are in the tournament representing Winnipeg, he said ever since the 2023 Canada West semi-final between the University of Manitoba and University of Winnipeg, there’s been a showcasing of raw talent in the city.  

“Two of the top teams in the country and almost every single guy was local,” he said. “From that moment, you kind of showed that: ‘Hey. Manitoba can produce some serious hoopers’ and should be a come-up in the basketball scene.”

He says with the introduction of the Canadian Elite Basketball League to the city, describing the Sea Bears as on another level when it comes to both fans and level of play, the rise of Manitoba basketball “is already here” and he’s pleased to be making history with a fellow member of the 204.

“It’s been a long journey,” said Filewich from his time at Vincent Massey Collegiate to March Madness in 2025 with the Wofford Terriers, which he says still feels like a dream. 

Support from home pouring in

A veteran crew headed into the tournament, Filewich says he’s confident the team has what it takes to win it all.

“We have the pieces to make a run and that’s what we’re going to be trying to do no matter who we play,” he said. “We know, no matter who it is, what we need to compete.” 

He too says it’s been amazing to head into the tournament knowing he’s not the only player from Winnipeg, saying at times, the basketball community can be a bit underappreciated, even as it produces high quality athletes. 

“There’s been a lot of great players to come out of Winnipeg,” he said, hoping a strong showing within the NCAA Final Four will continue to bring that talent to the forefront. Filewich stresses that the support from home has been pouring in.

“I was texting with a lot of my buddies from back home who were getting together and having a watch party,” he said, his parents and family watching as well.

Filewich stressed that while his focus right now is on the tournament, he wants to continue his professional career in the sport, saying it’s one that’s changed drastically in Canada over the decades. 

“When I was a kid and started playing basketball, it wasn’t as nearly as big as it is now and so I love to see the game grow in our country,” he said. “I hope it continues down that path and we get more players at these higher levels.” 

Manitoba stars new ‘high-water mark’ for sport

“One is a big accomplishment. Two; it’s never been done before,” he said, stressing they started out the same way as the kids playing ball behind him. 

Against a backdrop of bouncing basketballs and squeaking sneakers Adam Wedlake, executive director of Manitoba Basketball, said the presence of two local athletes in the tournament is a big deal, as it’s the first time a Winnipeg pair have played in March Madness at the same time.

“These are Gr. 5 and Gr. 6 kids from Winnipeg and they were that 15 years ago. It’s another layer, another level of basketball that someone can aspire to, so that’s really exciting.” 

Wedlake also says the arrival of professional basketball in Winnipeg with the SeaBears is critical, offering aspiring athletes an opportunity to see professional ball up close, noting the potential in Winnipeg and right across Manitoba is immense and will continue to make it to the highest stages of sport as more role models emerge. 

“We can see high-water marks of our sport over the generations and this is another one,” he said. “We hope this becomes the regular.”