REGINA - Estevan athletes had a successful performance at a basketball tournament recently.
Basketball Saskatchewan hosted a three-on-three basketball tournament on June 18 at the University of Regina. Two teams representing Estevan in 13U and 15U divisions partook in the event.
Playing for the 13U junior Elecs were Karson Mvula, Riley Gigian and Adeon Sullivan. The 13U boys were undefeated in the round robin and won a close game, 22-20, in the final.
Jayden Kuchinka, Noah Mvula, Hamisi Kassanga, Tymur Maidinskyi and Nathan Yunick played for the 15U junior Elecs. They were undefeated in the round robin but lost a closely contested game in the final.
"Estevan teams did very well in this tournament and were strong representatives of a new Estevan club basketball program for males, pioneered and championed by coach Tanner Kozun this spring," said one of the parents Patrick Sullivan.
Sullivan noted that it was the first three-on-three basketball tournament that the Elecs partook in, and one of the first formal three-on-three tournaments that many of the players in the province had a chance to join.
"I think it's becoming more of a thing. But formal three-on-three really doesn't occur in Estevan. I think there are a couple of leagues, one in Saskatoon, one in Regina, but I'm not sure how big they are … It's becoming more of a thing, but [our players] hadn't had much exposure to it," Sullivan said.
The smaller-scale game has slightly different rules and goes way quicker than a regular basketball game. The games were 16 minutes long, but Sullivan said they had a lot of fun.
Four teams partook in each of the 15U girls, 15U boys and 13U boys events.
The youth tournament occurred in conjunction with the adult men's three-on-three provincial basketball championship.
