It’s my Parting Shot for some random Thursday Thoughts…..

I must admit, I got excited for a few seconds when the announcement was first made about Saskatoon and SaskTel Centre hosting two Canadian home games in the F-I-B-A Men’s AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers. Then, I realized that the N-B-A doesn’t do “international windows” like soccer and tennis does – so if you bought tickets for tonight and/or Sunday expecting to see Shea Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray and other Canadians who took part in the Paris Olympics this past summer, not happening! But, unlike soccer and tennis, there is a lot of very good basketball players who don’t ply their trade in the N-B-A and you’ll get to see them in action against pretty much the best players that the Dominican Republic and Mexico have!

I’m not a big guy for coming with great nicknames for players. My best contribution was Bridge City Bunch as another way of referring to the Saskatoon Blades, which I coined shortly after moving here back in 1994! I do wish I could take credit for “The Fraser Blade” moniker that has been hung on Fraser Minten, formerly of the Blue and Gold and now with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Minty Fresh,” as I liked to call him, scored his first N-H-L goal last night – the game-winner no less – in his first game with the Leafs this season and his fifth overall! I can’t say I’m surprised as Fraser Minten exuded professionalism in his brief five-and-a-half month time in Saskatoon!

Lastly, I’m not nearly as much of a “dog on a bone,” dig for a story electronic journalist as I was back in the 80s and early 90s while still in Winnipeg – especially back in the days when our station didn’t have the broadcast rights to the Jets and Blue Bombers, but I’ll attempt to get the straight goods, if I can, from Moose Jaw general manager Jason Ripplinger tonight and from Blades’ President and G-M Colin Priestner next Friday about their team’s plans for making blockbuster W-H-L trades that allow them to re-stock their draft pick shelves! That’s the first intermission tonight and the second intermission next Friday on Blades’ broadcasts here on CJWW!!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!