The Estevan Comprehensive School was the home of the 13th Annual Victor Elias Memorial Shoot for a Cure Pink Senior Girls Basketball Tournament, with teams flocking to the city to compete. The ECS Senior Girls Basketball team won one of their three games, as both Moose Jaw teams proved to be tough competitions. They lost to Moose Jaw Central 50-46 and Moose Jaw Vanier to a close 69-63 result, but managed to rally against Norquay 61-49. 

"The two Moose Jaw teams that we played this weekend (Vanier and Central) are ranked top 3 in 4A Girls classification. Moose Jaw Central has a provincial player on the team so she was one of the players we planned to keep from scoring," explained Head Coach Jessie Smoliak in a statement. 

Overall, the tournament managed to raise about $9000 for two community members that are battling cancer. 

"I'm so grateful for how the community continuously comes together this weekend to support the cause. I am always so overwhelmed during our pink ceremony when I heard how many people are affected by cancer.  This tournament is more than just playing basketball. It has so much more meaning behind the games and that’s the lesson that I am always wanting to teach my basketball girls. The meaning of kindness and thinking of others by paying it forward."

The event was in support of two members of the community - Ronald Montebon and Bob Seibel. "Roland Montebon is a father to two former athletes on the senior girl’s basketball team - Khrystal and Bethany. Both student athletes competed on [the] Sr. Girls Basketball team since they were in grade 9 AND were a part of this PINK tournament 4 years ago. Roland was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August," Smoliak mentioned. "Bob was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in May of 2020. This was Bob’s first year missing the McLeod Series, but he [was] here with his family. He has been a big part of this tournament who attended every year, sitting in the stands, cheering on any team attending and being the most sportsmanlike fan."

There was fear that the winter storm would affect the weekend's events. With the blizzard fast approaching, Estevan and their competing teams agreed to move their games earlier in the day to get everyone on the road as fast as possible. Smoliak noted that no teams cancelled due to the impending storm. 

Smoliak shared that she's also holding the event in honour of her father.

"It’s my dad’s 7th year of passing from cancer. I know Dad would have been proud of the tournament and my team for their efforts on helping others. I had several family members attend the tournament to support my teams which is always so comforting."

The team is now resting, as they are preparing for their regional tournament on March 15 and 16.