Three local gymnasiums will be busy this weekend as local schools host two separate senior basketball tournaments.
Vanier Collegiate will host the sixth year of the Ned Andreoni Tournament beginning Friday afternoon. There will be four girls and four boys teams, including Vanier. The other teams include Saskatoon Centennial, Swift Current, Yorkton Sacred Heart and Melfort.
“It is a lot of fun, yes there is basketball and in this tournament you will get at least three games. There is also the camaraderie between the boys and girls and the teams supporting each other,” said organizer Bob Gottselig. “There will be some spectators in the gym when the out of town teams are playing and that makes for a great atmosphere.”
Although many of the athletes on the Spirits and Vikings teams don’t know the icon that was Coach A, his legacy and memories are still felt within the school, including his desire to have fun.
“Ned was all about the fun and it is probably one of the most fun tournaments that I’ve been at. Both genders are there and everyone is supporting one another and it makes for a fun time,” explained Gottselig. “None of them were taught by Coach, but a number of them have siblings that were coached or taught by him, so his legacy lives on a little bit. Unfortunately, at time goes on, it is starting to fade.”
Also happening at the other side of town is the 51st Annual Senior Boys Basketball Tournament. Central Collegiate and Peacock will once again host an eight-team tournament over the weekend. The action will get underway on Friday evening at both gyms.
The out of town teams include North Battleford, Prince Albert St. Mary’s, Weyburn, Meadow Lake, Yorkton and Prince Albert Carleton.
For more on this story, read an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
