Abbotsford’s Mark Destura is taking his talents to Manitoba.
The 2020 Abbotsford Senior Secondary School grad has inked a deal with the Otterburne, Man.-based Providence Pilots.
The Pilots play in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference, a member of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. The B.C. equivalent to the CCAA is the Pacwest.
“I am very excited to be joining the Pilots next school year, because I can continue pursuing my basketball career as well as continuing my academic education,” Destura stated to the Pilots website. “I am very thankful for the opportunity and I am looking forward to growing with my teammates and coaches on and off the court.”
Destura will be studying business at the school.
Jonathan Thompson, Destura’s coach and Providence alumni, said he thinks the Abbotsford product should fit in well with the Pilots.
“I first met Mark when I was playing in the local Rec Center in Abbotsford last year,” he stated. “His skills immediately stood out. I noticed his speed, his court awareness and his ability to breakdown defenders with ease. Fast forward about a month, Mark contacted me about his interest in training. From my first session with Mark, I immediately knew that he had the potential to play at the college level. We started training in October 2019, which was seven months ago. From then to now has been a noticeable growth not only in his skills but also his mindset. The combination of his speed/quickness and court awareness makes him a tremendous talent.”
Thompson said he recommended Destura to Pilots head coach Pierre Dubreuil and he should be an asset to the school both on and off the court.
Destura and the Panthers posted a perfect 12-0 record in the Eastern Valley Athletic Association’s 4A senior boys regular season. The club went on to capture the EVAA championship banner. The Panthers advanced to the 4A provincials and advanced to the quarter-finals before being eliminated. The club finished eighth overall in the province.
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Destura joins a Pilots team that finished 6-8 in the 2019-20 MCAC season and fell in the semifinals.