The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs not only took top spot at their annual Shoot for a Cure basketball tournament, but they raised thousands of dollars for a local family’s fight against cancer.
The Elecs defeated the Moose Jaw Peacock Toilers 62-56 in the gold medal game on Saturday evening at the ECS gymnasium. It marked the first time since 2010 that the Elecs have won the tournament.
Kourtney Kobitz paced the Elecs with 28 points in the final, while Tatiana Dutka had 14 points and Sammy Wade scooped up 11 rebounds.
Head coach Jessie Smoliak said they had great production from their bench players, and their leaders stepped up.
“Kourtney Kobitz was outstanding this weekend,” said Smoliak. “She did a lot of great things at high post. She hit some clutch threes.”
Morgan Fichter drove hard to the basket throughout the tournament, she said, and Mackenzie Park was great in the final with a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter.
“She hit a key free throw at the end of the game as well,” said Smoliak. “It was really neat that a Grade 11 was able to do that for us.”
Smoliak praised Moose Jaw Peacock for the class they showed in the final.
“That was the fourth time playing them (Moose Jaw) this season,” said Smoliak. “Both teams (Estevan and Moose Jaw) were competitive, but we play with such respect for one another. It was a fantastic ending to win the tournament, to play against Moose Jaw Peacock, because they are our good friends, and to raise so much money.”
Estevan opened the tournament with a convincing 79-41 win over Balgonie’s Greenall Griffins. Then they rallied from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Swift Current Ardens 57-53. Kobitz had 32 points and 12 rebounds against the Ardens, while Fichter had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“Swift Current was hitting everything in that first half, and we couldn’t buy a bucket,” said Smoliak. “We put up a good shot, and it would go around the hoop and out.
“Yes, the girls were getting frustrated, because they (the shots) weren’t falling, but my assistant coach Ashleigh Dzuba and I just said ‘Do not give up, do not give up,’ because this was such an important game, and we wanted to win our home tournament.”
Smoliak noted they were down two with about 15 seconds to play against Swift Current when Kobitz drained a three-point shot to give the Elecs a one-point lead.
Park, Ruth Peacson and Khrystal Montebon were also key players in the come-from-behind victory.
Since the tournament is also a fundraiser, the Elecs wore pink uniforms for the game against Balgonie and reverted to their conventional uniforms for games against Swift Current and Moose Jaw.
Other teams also sported pink the opening day.
Proceeds from the tournament will be directed to the family of Angie Van Achte, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Her son is on the senior boys basketball team, while her daughter is in Grade 12, and has friends on the basketball team.
“We just really wanted to help this family, especially with this being a close basketball family at ECS,” said Smoliak.
The team raised more than $6,000 through fundraisers and donations from the school and the community.
They also had a memory wall set up, so that people could write down a name of someone they know who is fighting cancer, or someone who has died because of the disease.
“People are so generous, and it’s awesome, because we couldn’t have pulled this off without everyone’s help,” said Smoliak.
