The 2019 St. Brieux Crusaders Basketball team celebrating their HOOPLA victory, something this year's team appears to be missing out on. (NorthEastNOW/ Aaron Schulze)

By Ronald Quaroni

Calling Foul

A missed chance: Basketball playoffs hanging by a thread

Mar 11, 2020 | 12:00 PM

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s (SHSAA) looming Wednesday afternoon deadline for agreeance between the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation and the Saskatchewan Government is being met with consternation from former student athletes.

The SHSAA issued a statement Tuesday explaining due to failed bargaining talks, the organization would cancel basketball playoffs should sanctions not be lifted.

“Hearing about the (potential) cancellation of playoffs is very upsetting. I have seen and talked to current (St. Brieux) Crusader players and they are really affected by this tragedy,” Victor Apao, a former student athlete at St. Brieux School, told paNOW.

In 2018 and 2019 the Crusader’s Basketball team won HOOPLA in the 2A Boys Division. The victories are something Apao remembers fondly. He feels for the players who may not get the chance to win a third in a row.

“They’ve been working really hard this year to make it to HOOPLA and having it cancelled in (a) moment can really be frustrating,” Apao said.

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Apao is waiting anxiously, hoping a solution can be found.

“I hope the teacher’s can get what they want from this because they are building the future, but HOOPLA and all the extracurricular activity should not be cancelled. I hope the problem is fixed soon and the playoffs continue,” Apao said.

The SHSAA has given a deadline of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday before they officially cancel basketball playoffs.

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ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni