New members of Luther Lions excited to play in LIT

Bolu Otukoya was born in Texas, where high school sports are big business.

But after his family moved from San Antonio to Yorkton, Otukoya had his doubts that high school basketball would be as popular in Saskatchewan as it is in his hometown.

Then he arrived at Luther College High School and saw the Luther Invitational Tournament.

“Even with my friends in Yorkton, basketball is not really a big thing,” Otukoya said Thursday before his Luther Lions opened the 69th edition of LIT. “Having a tournament in Saskatchewan out of all places that have people flying in from different places … it’s crazy.”

The Lions are to take on the Magrath Zeniths on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. in the Belsher Centre to wrap up the first day of LIT. It’s the first full tournament since 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

LIT is an event at Luther, where students serve on all of the committees and basically run the tournament. Now Otukoya is getting to play in it.

Bolu Otukoya of the Luther Lions. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

“I always used to watch it and in Grade 10, I came out of my shell and I took the leap forward into playing basketball,” he said. “This is my first year actually playing on the team. Last year I got cut and this year, I made the team in my last year (of high school).

“I’m just really grateful for the opportunity to be able to play and look back in the future on my time playing for the school.”

Lou Liu feels the same way.

Liu spent most of his childhood in Tianjin, China, but when he was around 10, his family moved to Vancouver. A few years later, he moved to Regina to start Grade 9 at Luther.

Like Otukoya, Liu was enthralled with LIT when he first arrived at the school.

“I remember in Grade 9 seeing some of the bigger kids play,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of it, but having it cancelled for so many years, I think we lost a bit of the culture.

“Having it back, it really excites me — and having the opportunity to play makes it all the more exciting.”

Isaac Stettner didn’t come from afar to attend Luther, like Liu and Otukoya. Stettner grew up in Regina and knew all about LIT before getting to Luther.

Now he too is a member of the Lions — and he’s in LIT.

“Players try really hard to get to this tournament and it’s a blessing that we actually get to play in this coming to Luther,” Stettner said.

To Stettner, the excitement around the tournament is noticeable around the school.

“It feels real now,” he said. “I’m excited and pumped up to play.”

The same goes for Otukoya, who says basketball is his favourite sport. LIT will simply be the icing on the cake.

“Being able to play in front of all these people and all the work and hard work that was put into it so everyone can enjoy this time, it means a lot,” he said. “Everyone is excited and it’s the talk of the school. Everyone is super happy.”

The tournament, featuring both boys and girls divisions, continues until Saturday.