Both the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs senior boys and girls basketball teams’ seasons came to a close at regionals this past weekend, but their 2015-16 campaigns bode well for future success.
The Elecs senior girls team began the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) Regional Basketball Playoff with a 46-41 loss to the Swift Current Ardens on Friday at Prince Albert’s St. Mary School eliminating them from a spot at Hoopla. The team rebounded the next day for a 57-46 win in their final game of their season.
“It was just really heartbreaking because we had lost by two to (Swift Current) at our home tournament,” said Elecs girls coach Jessie Smoliak. “We just switched up a couple defensive strategies to try to win the game, but obviously it wasn’t in our cards.”
Smoliak said the team was short a few important players at the tournament due to injuries and family commitments, but two young Grade 10 ballers stepped up to fill the void. She said Morgan Fichter and Sammy Wade started against the Ardens and didn’t look out of place.
“For them to step up in that game was huge,” she said. “They made a few mental errors, but for them being Grade 10s this year and coming out to play the way that they did, they played really well.”
The Elecs senior boys team won the first game of the SHSAA Regional Basketball Playoff 87-73 over the Swift Current Colts at Yorkton Regional High School on Friday, but fell 108-53 to the St. Mary Marauders the next morning. The loss also eliminated the boys team from a berth at Hoopla.
Dustin Wilson, coach of the Elecs senior boys team, said St. Mary has been beating teams in lopsided fashion the entire season and their success comes down to playing with higher intensity and having experience in big-game situations. He said facing St. Mary may even prove a blessing down the road as it allowed his players to see where they need to be at to play in these games.
“We were glad we got to see what type of intensity, camaraderie and all that type of stuff that goes into a winning squad,” said Wilson. “We got to witness that firsthand with seeing PA St. Mary and I hope some of the younger guys can take that into next year.”
Wilson said the Elecs will lose Grade 12 players Reagan Wallewein, Cole George, Dallas Dowhanuik and Raymart Bognot to graduation this June, but the majority of their squad will be back next season. He said the team was enjoying an upswing at the end of the season after first winning the B-side of their home tournament, then capturing the school’s second McLeod Series championship and finally winning the Ned Andreoni Memorial Tournament in Moose Jaw leading to an improved winning team mentality.
“It was a year that got us a little bit more momentum and we are headed in the right direction,” he said. “There is not much more we can ask for.”
Smoliak said Grade 12 players Tess Lindquist, Teanna Michel and Avery Dunbar are moving on this June and all the girls having a last chance to play together was their motivation heading into the final game against Yorkton Regional. She said everybody got to play in that game and played well with the Grade 10 athletes once again showing the Elecs basketball future is bright.
“We have a very young team again next year, but I’m excited,” said Smoliak. “When one year ends I always look at what’s in the future for us. I’m hoping that we get lots of Grade 9s coming to try out and we can take a look at them.”
