It’s only fitting that UNBC’s inaugural inductee for its newly-created Wall of Honour is the person that led the Timberwolves to its first-ever national sports championship.
Inderbir Gill arguably put the Prince George post-secondary on the map in his three seasons in green and gold, 2008 to 2011, which included a magical run to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title in 2010.
In that year alone, the Spokane, Wash. product’s 17.9 points-per-game average catapulted the T-Wolves to a 17-1 regular-season record and the school’s first of two B.C. conference banners in men’s basketball.
After that, the provincial accolades poured in for the six-foot guard, who’s described a ‘quicksilver playmaker’ by UNBC Athletics, including:
- BCCAA Men's Basketball Player of the Year
- BCCAA Men's Basketball First Team All-Star
- BCCAA Men's Basketball Provincial Tournament MVP
In completing the pursuit of Canada’s national championship in the nation’s second-highest level of university sport, which ended in a run-away 96-63 victory for top-ranked UNBC over SAIT in the gold-medal game on March 20, 2010, Gill also earned tournament MVP and the CCAA National Male Athlete of the Year.
“Obviously, Inderbir was a tremendous player, but he was an equally great person and teammate,” said former UNBC Head Coach Mike Raimbault in a news release about Gill’s induction to the Wall of Honour, also noting his character was a major influence in 2010’s success.
“His work ethic was unmatched and his competitive spirit and will to win was amazing. He allowed his coaches to push him, to challenge him, and that allowed for the rest of the team to be coached and pushed as well. His ability to lead from the front with a selfless pursuit of excellence truly made each of us, myself included, strive to be our absolute best each day.”
Dennis Stark was a teammate in the national championships season and echoes Raimbault in following Gill’s leadership.
“It must be a coach’s dream to have a captain who is your most talented player, hardest worker, and fiercest competitor. Gill held us all accountable, and as a player, you respected and responded to his feedback because there was nothing he would ask of us that he wasn’t doing himself. In games, he knew when to take over and make the big play, but also always got the ball to his teammates in spots where we could excel and play to our strengths.”
Gill went on to play professional basketball overseas after his time with UNBC.
Before leaving Prince George, he earned the CCAA National Men’s Basketball Player of the Year and a third consecutive CCAA All-Canadian honour in his final 2011 campaign.
T-Wolves’ current Head Coach Todd Jordan, who was an assistant while Gill was tearing up the court, says his game, determination and overall example remains the ‘gold standard’ for future players.
“Inderbir was in one word, a winner,” said Jordan.
“He may have been the most gifted leader I have ever coached. He had a way of holding himself and others accountable with a demanding presence. His intense work ethic, and accountability made him so respected. On the court, Inderbir was an excellent playmaker and scorer, and his accolades show why he should go down in history as one of the greatest Timberwolves ever.”
In UNBC men’s basketball record books, Gill is currently the second-highest leader scorer with 1,001 points over three seasons, first in all-time assists (319) and third in all-time points-per-game average (18.5).
He’s the first of what will be 15 inductees for the 2021 class for the T-Wolves Wall of Honour.
More names are expected to be announced in the weeks to come.
