Long Weekend Basketball Tournament A Swooooosh For Organizers

Text And Photos By Robert Thomas

“It was great everybody had a great time. Everybody we spoke to loved the city and told us about their having a really great time here,” co-organizer of the Prairie Premier Classic Rhona Johnson told MJ Independent.

Johnson was just busy with other volunteers wrapping up the 6th annual tournament late Sunday evening. A tournament that not only saw 66 basketball teams, approximately 750 players and at least that many in family and fans converge on Moose Jaw but a lot of work by the Moose Jaw Spartans organization to make it all work.

Photos below are from the third place finish by the Moose Jaw Jam versus the Humboldt Basketball Club in U17 Girls action. The Jam won third place defeating Humboldt 62 - 29. Moose Jaw is in black and Humboldt is in royal blue.

**A Missed Opportunity To Steal The Ball**

Last year the COVID - 19 pandemic caused the tournament to held on a smaller scale with the pandemic restrictions cancelling the annual tournament entirely in 2020.

The tournament being held on the May Victoria Day Long Weekend was seen as a boon by Johnson.

“We were saying it is great it’s on the May long weekend you have that extra day as a cushion for travel.”

The tournament saw teams compete in boys and girls basketball from the three Prairie provinces.

**A Pass To A Teammate To Get Around An Opponent**

Johnson said the tournament could have been larger as some teams could not play because of the inability to get sufficient officials (referees) to work the tournament.

As it turned out getting a hotel room this long weekend was difficult because the majority of teams came from out of town and it was too far to drive to make it to games.

“We could have accepted more teams but we couldn’t find enough officials.”

**I Can Get By With A Little Block From My Friends**

Johnson said the tournament started early getting the blocks of rooms set aside by the sponsoring hotels who are part of Visit Moose Jaw early in March.

The tournament does not rely upon a lot of volunteers outside the Spartans organization to get the job done.

The Spartans organizers work the tournament as well as a couple of volunteer parents. Minor officials are children in the Spartans program who do it as part of being in the program.

**Intense Defence** - A Moose Jaw Jam player (in black) is focused on her opponent

The cooler weather was not seen a determent to the tournament but rather it allowed the gums to be cooler and the proper temperature for the fans as well as athletes, Johnson said.

“The cooler temperatures made it comfortable for the people who came and it was really good for the athletes as the gyms were not too hot,” she said.

Johnson said she would like to thank the tournament sponsors - Visit Moose Jaw and CR Signs - the coaches and volunteers, all teams, families and officials who made the event a success.

Moose Jaw Spartans Versus Medicine Hat Badlands For 17U Girls Third Place

Photos from the 17U Girls game featuring the Moose Jaw Spartans, in white uniforms, versus the Medicine Hat Badlands (Renegades).

The Moose Jaw Spartans team lost a heartbreaker 59 - 56 with the game tied 55 - 55 with just under three minutes to play in regulation time.