By Brady Lang

Comp Students compete in Las Vegas tournament

Jul 20, 2018 | 8:00 AM

Two North Battleford Comprehensive Students are getting the experience of a lifetime.

Riley Rathwell, 16, and Jordan Poitras, 17, are attending the Las Vegas Live basketball tournament. The tournament began on Wednesday, and finishes up on Sunday.

The tournament is designed for high level, elite athletes to gather in multiple divisions, but Rathwell and Poitras are playing in the 17 and under division. Coaches from around the NCAA attend the tournament, and scout players for possible future scholarships and invitations to come play for the schools. Rathwell, a 6’1″ guard, said it’s not just the huge stage that he enjoys, but also the atmosphere surrounding the tournament in Vegas.

“It’s a huge experience, just being down here. I’ve never been to Vegas, and it’s not only the tournament but also the experience,” he said. “It’s not just the tournament, but the atmosphere as well. Basketball is a lot bigger down here, there’s a lot of really good basketball players down here who are really going to make it far in basketball. It’s a great experience overall.”

Poitras, a 6’1 guard, is also enjoying the once in a life time opportunity to compete at a high level, and said he is excited for the opportunity.

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“It’s a very good experience,” he said. “The level we are playing at down here is a lot higher than Saskatchewan. It gives us a big confidence boost when we go back up there.”

When it comes to the opportunity of playing in front of so many big name universities, Rathwell knows the two of them are getting looks from the big names.

“It’s really important, before we came down here our coaches contacted a few universities,” he said. “They just told them we’ve got some good guys, come check them out.”

When it comes to playing internationally, both boys say they like the added the competition and pressure of the spotlight, being down and competing not only in the tournament, but also for their futures. Rathwell knows that basketball isn’t as big in Canada, and getting the looks from the schools does open up opportunities.

“It’s really good because especially in Saskatchewan, but Canada overall, basketball is not as popular and there aren’t as many universities,” he said. 

brady.lang@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @BradyLangCJNB