Prairie Season Opener Wrap Up - Who Stood Out?

For the last 20 years, club season in Saskatchewan kicks off with the Prairie Season Opener run by Saskatoon SLAM. For me, covering Saskatchewan basketball, this is an opportunity to really dig deep into the players who have been developing, maybe in lesser roles on senior teams or in juniors. I get to see multiple divisions in multiple gyms and take some notes. Teams from around Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba provided some fun games, and some of these kids' skill levels are impressive.

Despite some car issues that kept me from getting to every gym I wanted to, I did get some notes on every division. Below you will find an overview of every division, and who jumped out as MVP. If you scroll down, as always, I have provided my players to watch for college coaches and basketball enthusiasts alike. If you are new to my writing and The Maple Minute, we do not evaluate younger age groups, as they will change, and the coaching network that tunes in to our content isn't looking for their info yet (but we will be here for them when it's their time). We also list all graduation years, including a post-graduation year, as that is the current NCAA norm.

A huge thank you to the whole SLAM organization for their help and access this weekend.

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THE CHAMPS

U18

Men - YXE Elite Gold (Saskatoon, SK)

MVP - Zack Zeiser (YXE Elite)

• The U18 division came down to a match-up between YXE Elite and the Soldiers, both of whom feature multiple college signings and prospects. The Soldiers won the round robin play, but YXE came back to take the medal.

  
  

U17

Boys Gold Division - Ignite - Jared Boville 2010s (Winnipeg, MB)

MVP - Malakai Boville (Ignite)

• This division has some good basketball all weekend and showcased some great up-and-coming players in both Sask and Manitoba. The Moose Jaw Spartans were short-handed but battled to the final, but the Winnipeg Ignite squad found a way in the end.

Girls Gold Division - Altitude U17 Black (Edmonton, AB)

MVP - Emma Reid (Altitude)

• The division was extremely competitive, with 2 close semi-final games. However, the girls from Alberta were too much to handle as both Supernovas and SLAM were short-handed on the weekend, but fought valiantly.

Boys Silver Division - Saskhoops U16 Cabural (Saskatoon, SK)

co-MVP - Rylan Sandrino (Saskhoops)and Lourd Lagria (Saskhoops)

• Made up mostly of U16 squads, the silver division battled all weekend in a lot of close games. The end saw Saskhoops Cabural win over SLAM Heat, and the 3rd-place game went into overtime.

Girls Silver Division - Slam U 15 Hanson (Saskatoon, SK) MVP - None Awarded

• SLAM and Moose Jaw Spartans fought hard in the round robin and final, but in the end, SLAM picked up gold. The teams fought hard in a tough defensive battle. It was fun to see so many girls' teams from three provinces playing hard.

U15

Boys Gold Division - Soldiers U15 (Saskatoon, SK)

MVP - Reegan Whitedeer-Norris (Soldiers)

• This division was fun to watch and, in my opinion, may be one of the most talented age groups in the province. In the end, the Soldiers stood at the top, but not without very impressive performances from Regina Raptors and SLAM Magic.

Girls Division - Supernovas U15 (Saskatoon, SK)

MVP - Zara Haimanot (Supernovas)

• This division had teams from everywhere, and girls' basketball in Sask looks to have some real good talent coming. The Supernovas won the final and had many girls star throughout the weekend, thanks to their deep squad. They defeated a strong Moose Jaw Spartans squad in the final, and Swift Current brought home 3rd.

Boys Silver Division - Slam U15 Tysowski (Saskatoon, SK)

co-MVPs - Troy Tysowski (SLAM) and Ryker Wiggins (SLAM)

• This division has some great play all weekend, with SLAM defeating the Raptors in the final. Mickeyas Cote was lights out for the Raptors in the final. Simon Villa, Gerry Tolentino, and Daniel Sharoika all had great weekends and will be names to watch in the future.

U13

Boys Gold Division - Slam Phantoms (Saskatoon, SK)

MVP - Ilyas Yazdani (SLAM)

• The 4 squads in this division had some great games and had fun on the big court at Tommy Douglas. Ignite gave SLAM all they could handle in the final, but SLAM overcame being short-handed and playing their 3rd game in 6 hours on Sunday.

Girls Division - Altitude U13 Black (Edmonton, AB)

MVP - Sophia Rosario (Altitude Black)

• This division was fun, and the Altitude girls from Edmonton were spectacular to watch. They play well above their years and are extremely well coached. I may be a bit biased, but a huge shout-out to Blakely Allen, the granddaughter of Phil Allen, who sure can shoot and play. I was also impressed with the Junior Bisons, who played well, earning a silver medal, and the Supernova girls, who were again short-handed but played hard.

Boys Silver Division - Slam City U12 (Saskatoon, SK) MVP - Jack Frentz (QC Mambas)

• SLAM City came away with the gold, but QC Mambas gave them a really tough game in the round robin. It was great to see 10 teams in this younger division with teams from all over Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Regina, Estevan, Swift Current, and Warman). It was a great atmosphere, and it is exciting for the future of basketball in the province.

U11

Boys Division - Mambas (Regina, SK)

Girls Division - Fresh Grade 5 (Regina, SK)

• This is always the most fun at any tourney, the way these kids play their heart out and with such joy. They were all the MVPs, and I hope they stick with it for many years to come.

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WHO STOOD OUT?

(2027) 6'3 Zach Zeiser YXE Elite Gold

• Zach was on my grade 12 player to watch list in October, and he looked every bit of it this weekend. He plays with a high motor and makes all the plays that his team needs to win. Zach is an excellent rebounder and defender who could be a great piece for a CCAA or post-grad team next season.

(2028) 6' Fidel Lintaud Soldiers U17

• A high-IQ player who is always looking for teammates and keeping them involved, this weekend, he shot extremely well from distance. He is getting more comfortable finding a balance between setting up teammates and scoring himself, making him much harder to guard.

(2027) 6'3 Sowka Tombe YXE Elite Gold

• Sowka is uber-athletic and plays the game the right way. He scores at all three levels, including some dunks coming down the lane that got me out of my seat. He creates turnovers and is a solid defensive player.

(2028) 6' Ike Brimacombe Soldiers U17

• Ike has grown into the defender that opposing teams do not want to see. He prides himself on matching up with the opponent's top guards and making them work. He has a high motor and uses that to rebound well on the offensive end and keep plays alive.

(2028) 6'2 Clark Poth SLAM Suns

• Clark played with a certain smoothness to him throughout the weekend, making good heads-up passes and finding openings to attack the defense. He shot effectively, and his team looked to him to lead, and he showed he could.

(2028) 6'5 Ryder Howman Moose Jaw Spartans

• Ryder was a very pleasant surprise, as he was injured for Central this season, but his big body, comfort with contact, and very active rebounding are huge for them. He scored in the paint with a variety of finishes and had great defensive positioning, making him a player I will be watching for next season.

(2028) 6'3 Moe Jomha SLAM Suns

• Moe really impressed me with his grit over the weekend as he took on some tough defensive post assignments and showed great strength and footwork. Offensively, he was able to slash and get to the basket and use that same strength to finish.

(2029) 6'2 Malakai Boville Ignite 2010's

• Malakai is polished well beyond his years and carries himself like a seasoned guard. He immediately jumped out when he threw a one-handed full-court push pass to hit a streaking teammate for an easy score. He made the game extremely easy for teammates. His shooting was incredibly consistent, and he had great defensive awareness and positioning.

(2029) 6' Mohsen Ahmadzai Ignite 2010's

• Another heads-up guard on Ignite who shot well. He was aggressive both offensively and defensively, forcing the opposition into uncomfortable positions he could exploit. When off the ball, he runs the court hard.

(2029) 6'1 Kyree Byfield Empire

• Kyree is an explosive athlete who jumps out at you immediately. He plays with a good motor and showed versatility playing multiple roles through the weekend. He was active on the boards and used his strength to score at all 3 levels.

(2029) 6'1 Nixon Mohle Moose Jaw Spartans

• With their backcourt at provincial team tryouts, Nixan handled the ball and looked solid. He pushed the ball in transition, made good passes, and found ways to score to keep the defense honest. I look forward to tracking his progress on a very strong Spartans and Central team next season.

(2030) 5'8 Reegan Whitedeer-Norris Soldiers U15

• Reegan did a great job breaking down defenders off the dribble and getting to the rim; he showed a crafty finishing ability. When defenders backed off, he hit shots, making him a tough cover all weekend.