Saskatchewan communities show strong support at HOOPLA

Students from across Saskatchewan are in Moose Jaw for the annual Hoopla Tournament to watch the best basketball players in the province. Jacob Carr has more.

A handful of 2A high school basketball games at Peacock Collegiate in Moose Jaw on Friday drew fans from across Saskatchewan to cheer on their teams.

It was a packed house for the early games at the annual HOOPLA provincial high school basketball championships, with communities like Preeceville, Langham and Davidson well represented.

While smaller towns may lack the population of cities like Regina or Saskatoon, they more than make up for it in fan support.

Cal Tomilin of Buchanan, Saskatchewan, was among those in the stands, cheering for multiple teams including Preeceville, Canora and Sturgis.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

“They’ve traveled a long way to be here, had a long season, a lot of driving for these kids, for these parents and these schools. Basketball is important to these people and to these students. I drove through a blizzard to get here,” he said.

A former coach and referee, Tomilin said that while hockey is often top of mind in small towns, basketball is growing in popularity, with support reaching new heights.

That enthusiasm was on display during a tightly contested boys’ semifinal between the Preeceville Panthers and Davidson Raiders, which ended in a nine-point win for Preeceville.

Organizers say the strong turnout highlights the continued passion for high school basketball across Saskatchewan, regardless of community size.