Minor basketball tournament will honour memory of North Preston’s Lee’Marion Cain

The community of North Preston was rocked with grief last December when eight-year-old Lee’Marion Cain was killed

The boy was a passenger in a car when shots were fired from another vehicle near the intersection of Windmill Road and Waddell Avenue in Dartmouth. He was taken to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax where he died.

As a way of celebrating his short life and honouring his memory, the Lee’Marion Invitational basketball tournament will be held next month in the communities of North Preston, East Preston and Cherrybrook.

“Basketball is what Lee’Marion enjoyed the utmost,” said Miranda Cain, Lee’Marion’s cousin and the CEO of the non-profit group North Preston’s Future.

The tournament will mark the beginning of the minor basketball season when the three-day event begins Oct. 14.

“This is for all youth to get together and remember this remarkable young man for all the good things he did,” said Cain. “He is so sadly missed in the community and there couldn’t be any other thing that would be a better memorial for Lee’Marion.”

The number of teams that will come to the tournament is continuing to grow. At least one team from out of province — Moncton, N.B., — is confirmed.

“We are looking at a minimum of sixteen teams but no more than six teams per division,” said tournament director Paul Glasgow, the coach of the North Preston Under-14 (U14)  girls and boys teams. “With this tournament, we want to make sure it is fun for everyone, whether you are playing or not.”

Along with the U14 girls and boys divisions, there will be U12 and U10 boys divisions.

Every summer, the community crowns a king and queen at a local celebration called North Preston Days. Last year, Lee’Marion, who was also known to those who loved him as LeMar, or MarMar, was crowned king.

The person who shot Cain has not been caught.

The Nova Scotia government is offering the largest award it’s ever put up for help in solving a homicide. Anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction in the death of Lee’Marion Cain will be given $250,000 — $100,000 more than the maximum amount of $150,000 that’s set for all other cases.

Information can be shared with police directly at 902-490-5020. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.