The 88th McLeod Series wraps up tonight in Estevan, with the Elecs looking to build on their first-game performance.
In the opening leg, the ECS senior boys rallied from a slow start but came up short in an 80-75 loss. The Elecs’ senior girls, meanwhile, controlled their game from start to finish, earning a 72-44 victory.
Building on that experience, the boys’ team has focused on improving its defense ahead of the rematch.
“In any sport, defense wins games,” said Trevor Dutka, head coach of the ECS senior boys' team. “At times, we got a little lazy on defense, and maybe we were a little out of shape. We’ve been working on that and running a few new things in our offense this week.”
He also knows the team needs a stronger start to avoid falling behind early.
“I think the nerves got the best of us in the first quarter. We were down 25-8 early, then battled back to take the lead, but ended up losing by five points,” Dutka said. “The biggest lesson we learned is that even in front of a big crowd, we have to be ready to play, put the nerves aside and just play basketball.”
Estevan is also preparing for one of Weyburn’s key players, who was a dominant force in the paint during the first game.
“He’s the biggest guy on the court from either team and a dominant presence,” Dutka said. “Anytime you go into the key, he’s there blocking shots, getting rebounds and making plays. You really have to work hard against him to get rebounds and score because he’s a force inside.”
With the series now shifting to Estevan, Dutka hopes fans will fill the stands for the deciding games.
“Just come out and see the rivalry, the intensity, the way the boys and girls leave it all on the court and play so hard in a sport they love,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable atmosphere that’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing for some of these kids.”
More than just a game, the McLeod Series is a defining experience for athletes in the southeast.
“It honestly gives us maturity,” Dutka said. “Playing in front of a lot of people in such an intense game with so much history behind it forces players to mature quickly. We understand that we have to step up, and we carry that into the next game we play.”
With a 23-point advantage in the total-point series, Estevan holds the edge heading into the final leg. Tip-off is set for tonight at ECS. The girls teams will start at 5:30 p.m., with the boys teams to follow at 7:00 p.m. Admission will be a silver dollar donation to help local athlete Amanda Minchin battle cancer.