Vikings' basketball standouts, Max Weran (left) and Eston Glass (right), pictured here in their Basketball Sask sweaters outside of North Battleford Comprehensive High School. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Nothing but Net

Vikings’ standouts ready for national stage with Team Saskatchewan

Apr 24, 2024 | 1:40 PM

A pair of Battlefords’ locals are gearing up to take to the national stage this summer in Toronto, on the hardwood with Team Saskatchewan.

North Battleford Comprehensive High School (NBCHS) Vikings’ standouts Eston Glass and Max Weran have been named to don the Team Sask. threads for the program’s 17U (Glass) and 15U (Weran) basketball teams, which will each play a pair of exhibition tournaments south of the border in Las Vegas, NV, in preparation for Nationals at the beginning of August.

Both teams will be in Vegas at the same time, as the 17Us will play in the Las Vegas Classic July 16-18 and then the Las Vegas Main Event July 18-21. The 15Us will compete in the Jam on It tournament July 16-18, followed by the Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas tourney July 18-21.

The National tournament in Toronto will also then correspond for both, taking place the week of Aug. 5-10.

For Glass, this will mark his second time representing Team Sask., after a memorable debut last year that included winning a gold medal at the International World Championship and silver at the Summer Classic Championship, both held in California.

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He said having that experience under his belt really helps the confidence heading into this year’s events.

“Last year I didn’t know anyone, so it was kind of scary going in because I had to make all new friends and prove myself, but this year now I know everyone, and they know what I can do,” Glass said.

Those relationships made from his first go-around with Team Sask., also led him to joining the ‘Rise Above’ basketball program he currently plays with based out of Regina, which features many of the same players and coaches from the provincial squad.

“While I was playing Sask., I became pretty good friends with lots of my teammates and they were talking to me about joining, so I decided to sign up and made the roster,” Glass said of how it all came to be. “So, I know all of these guys now and I’ve been playing with them for just about a year now.”

For Weran, this will mark his first time representing Team Saskatchewan, fulfilling a goal he’s been working hard to achieve.

“It’s a pretty big deal to me and my family,” Weran said. “It was one of my goals coming out of last season, and it’s been a lot of preparation coming up to it, so it’s good to finally see all that hard work pay off.”

Weran said between his family connections out east and the chance to accomplish something similar to his father back in his high school years, it just adds to the special nature of the experience.

“I’ve got some family and friends up in Toronto that are going to come watch the Nationals which is pretty exciting for me, and when my dad was my age, he played on Team Saskatchewan and was quite a good basketball player too, so that makes it even better following in his footsteps,” Weran said.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1