Raiders Court Speedy Basara:

This was in the Prince Albert Newspaper:

Raiders court speedy Basara

Published on March 30th, 2010

John MacNeil


Prospect led Saskatchewan midget AAA champion Hounds in regular-season scoring

SASKATOON — Notre Dame Hounds forward Marcus Basara would bring “world-class speed” to the Prince Albert Raiders, says his midget AAA coach, Del Pedrick.

The Raiders added Basara to their WHL protected list this past season, during which he was the top scorer with the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League champion Hounds.

“It’s nice to watch that young man skate,” Pedrick said of the rookie from Coquitlam, B.C. “He uses his speed and he’s got a good nose for the net. Offence is his forte — where you have to work with him is on the defensive side of the puck.

“I don’t know if he’ll end up in P.A., or not. If he does go to P.A., I know that Dale (Derkatch) and the people up there will definitely look after him.”

Derkatch is the Raiders’ director of player personnel. And he was Pedrick’s predecessor as the director of hockey at Notre Dame.

The Regina-based Derkatch met with Basara early this season and the Raiders listed him soon after.

“We’ve been talking ever since,” said Basara, who turned 17 last month. “I chat with Dale quite a bit, because he’s always at N.D. We keep in touch. I’m excited for that (opportunity with the Raiders).”

Passed over in his WHL bantam draft year, mainly because of his size, Basara enrolled at Notre Dame last season and played midget AA.

This season, he stepped up to midget AAA and led the Hounds with 37 goals and 65 points in 43 games.

“I like to score goals — that’s my favourite thing to do,” Basara said with a smile after the Hounds beat the Saskatoon Contacts 4-1 in the fifth and deciding game of the SMHL final.

Basara, almost five-foot-11 and about 165 pounds, has added six goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games. The Hounds, reigning Telus Cup national champions, are off to the Western region championship this weekend in Morden, Man.

Basara, a Grade 11 student, already has multiple options for next season. The junior A Hounds of the SJHL and Penticton Vees of the BCHL are among the teams that are courting the sniper.

“I’m still weighing out my options and just seeing whatever comes my way,” he said.

“I think the decision will come (down to) whether I want to go back to B.C., or stay in Saskatchewan.”

Basara plans to attend the Raiders’ spring camp — an entirely off-ice weekend — in late May in Prince Albert.

“Yeah, for sure, I think I’ll do that,” he said. “Just to get a little more feel for the Raiders’ organization, and go from there.”

One of Basara’s teammates with Notre Dame is Raiders prospect Daniel Dale, a grinding forward who attended Prince Albert’s main training camp last summer.

Basara, a right-winger, believes that his speed will serve him well wherever he plays next season.

“I feel I have an extra gear that I can use,” he said.

“I like to use my speed, and see the other guys on the ice. I like to take the puck to the net, cause chances, and get on the backcheck. Go both ways and try to score goals.”