ESTEVAN — The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior girls' basketball team made it to the final of an emotional Victor Elias Memorial Shoot for a Cure Pink Tournament.
The Elecs lost 64-59 to the North Battleford Vikings in the tournament finale Feb. 28 at the ECS gymnasium. The tournament is more than just games, though; it also serves as a fundraiser for somebody battling cancer. For 2026, the beneficiary was ECS basketball alum and former Elecs assistant coach Amanda Minchin.
ECS won the first two games convincingly, beating Moose Jaw's AE Peacock Toilers 79-40 to open the tournament in the Elecs' annual pink game, and the Moose Jaw Central Cyclones 65-46 in the semifinal.
Sadie Aspinall led the Elecs’ attack with 22 points in the pink game, while Megan Porter had 12, Katie Sauders added 10 and Elli Wiebe finished with nine.
Aspinall led ECS with 26 points in the win over Central, while Porter had 15 points. Aspen Mayuk contributed six points and 10 rebounds.
In the final, Aspinall had 21 points, Porter added 20 and Makenzie Onrait finished with 10.
“We played and worked together as a team,” said head coach Jessie Smoliak. “They all played a part and had a role on and off the court.”
The senior girls and the school raised $4,500 for Minchin prior to the start of the tournament, and the total amount for Minchin came to $10,000.
“It was a busy week, especially when our game focus was McLeod [the McLeod Series with Weyburn],” Smoliak said.
Smoliak was impressed with how the players handled the pressure and emotion of the week, as the senior girls also helped ECS win the 89th annual McLeod Series with the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles. The senior girls beat Weyburn 69-34 two days before the tournament.
“As always, their heart, effort and commitment were truly defined with their presence on and off the court. They [the Grade 12s] are amazing teenagers and I am going to miss coaching them when the season is over. Seven graduating players is a lot in one year,” said Smoliak.
The final versus North Battleford was also the Elecs' seniors' tribute game.
“They have been with me since Grade 9, so I wanted to make their last home tournament special with announcing the Grade 12 starting lineup to be celebrated with their parents. Their mom was at the end of the tunnel to give them their handshake, while their dad announced them. Then after the championship game, we had a special presentation for their parents and them as players.”
She added all seven grads are going to post-secondary schools to become professionals.
Smoliak said Hoopla is their goal for this season, and they will need to be playing their best basketball.
Minchin grateful for support
Minchin, who is currently in her second battle with cancer, was recognized during the opening ceremonies before the Feb. 27 pink game against Peacock.
She played for the senior girls basketball team while a student at ECS and was an assistant coach with the Elecs for a few years, starting in 2011. While on the coaching staff, Minchin worked with Smoliak, who introduced Shoot for a Cure to Estevan in 2011. Elecs assistant coaches Bridget Bjorndalen and Larissa Smeltzer were players on the Elecs when Minchin was an assistant.
Minchin said she was “blown away” by people’s support in the community, and she applauded the senior girls and the school as a whole for all of the work that was put into Shoot for a Cure.
“Coach Smoliak obviously has put that on now for 15 years, so that’s quite an accomplishment in itself. It was amazing to see all of those volunteers and all the hard work they put in,” said Minchin.
The support went beyond financial. Many people came up to Minchin to wish her well amid her cancer fight, including tournament volunteers, teaches and parents of people Minchin went to school with and hadn’t seen in a long time.
“It was a very lovely night, and … all the hard work that went into that, I’m very, very thankful and very impressed with how that tournament has grown in 15 years,” said Minchin.
After wrapping up her time with the Elecs, Minchin continued to track the success of the senior girls, and she remained in contact with Smoliak.
“She’s a good friend and she’s just an overall good person, obviously,” said Minchin, who gave golf lessons to one of Smoliak’s sons last summer.
Minchin was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in December 2024. After treatment and surgery, she had a good prognosis, but she found out last August the cancer had metastasized and spread to her brain and lungs. She is in immunotherapy for what she called a “pretty aggressive” form of cancer.
She said she is going to keep fighting. Minchin is able to work and she can be in the community as much as possible.
“People are amazing. They’re very generous. I’m able to fight because I have a community taking care of me. People are wonderful; very, very wonderful,” she said.
Minchin also saluted the senior girls for their play during the weekend.
Smoliak pointed out that when Minchin told her the cancer was back and in different areas, she knew there was no better person to help out with this year’s tournament.
“It has come full circle with helping Amanda. She gave back all those years and it was time to give back to her when she needs it the most,” said Smoliak.
