The Estevan Comprehensive School senior boys' basketball team lost a pair of games at the 4A regional basketball playoffs on the weekend to bring an end to their season.
The Elecs entered the regionals in Moose Jaw as the 16th and final seed amongst the 16 teams at the four regional playdowns.
That put them up against the powerhouse Central Cyclones on Friday night, a game they had to win to advance.
Central took a 46-24 lead at halftime and kept up the pressure in the second half en route to a 94-41 victory.
John Elder led the Elecs with 19 points.
"We knew that our first game against Moose Jaw was going to be tough," said Elecs assistant coach Rob Gallaway.
"We held them close (in the first half) because of Elder. He played very well and kept us in the game. It was a fast-paced game and they were pretty good. Going into the second half, some of our guys started getting frustrated and it started to go downhill.
"The main thing about the first game is they were a very good team, one of the best I've coached against all year."
In their second game on Saturday morning, the Elecs lost 73-55 to ninth-seeded Prince Albert Carleton.
Carleton, which had lost to Regina O'Neill in their opener, led 40-22 at the break before the Elecs turned it on in the second half.
Elder paced the Elecs with 21 points, while Kenneth Cotterill led Carlton with 19.
Gallaway said he felt it was a winnable game against a team that the Elecs were more evenly matched with.
"In my opinion we probably should have won it, but we did come back and we played our seniors to finish the game. They really showed some heart and finished strong," said Gallaway.
He said guard Calder Clark and post Nolan Tide were among the team's standouts on the weekend, along with Elder.
The team is losing six Grade 12 players to graduation, but Gallaway said he's happy with what the team achieved this season and expects improvement next year.
"Our goal is to get better every year and when we took over the program four years ago, it was pretty hurting when we took it over. This is the first time in quite some time we've been past districts so hopefully it'll keep growing," said Gallaway.
"We are losing a few but I think we have the kids coming up that'll fill those gaps, so I'm thinking next year should be stronger than this (year)."
