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| The Civic Centre complex was the place to be this week as the 64th Annual All Native Basketball Torment played out leading to today's Championship games |
The 64th Annual All Native Basketball Tournament is in the books, the finales of Saturday sending all four champion teams off in different directions from Prince Rupert, taking with them championship trophies and banners to share with faithful back home.
One heading across Hecate Strait, one north to Alaska, another deep into the BC Interior and One off to the Lower Mainland.
Prince Rupert basketball fans had hopes for at least two championships heading into Saturday play, but the stars did not align this time around.
Though the basketball from afternoon to evening was in a few instances as entertaining as those of years past.
The day began with some semi final play which saw Metlakatla, Alaska regain their rhythm on the court to book their place in the Intermediate final, that through a convincing victory over the Skidegate Intermediates.
Over in the Seniors Semi-Final, Skidegate took on a dog tired Kitkatla squad, the Kitkatla side having played late into Friday night in an OT thriller to move on to Saturday play, that mainly through a basketball clinic from Jacob Thom.
Saturday morning, they gave it a good shot, but couldn't keep the pace by games end of the Haida Gwaii side, who advanced to the evening tourney finale.
Those two Saturday morning showdowns completing the match ups for the Big Four finales to come.
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The first of the championships was turned over to the Women's division, with Hesquiaht looking to knock off the defending champs from Similkameen.
They came out fast to serve notice towards that goal, holding a 22 to 16 lead going into the third quarter.
But the adjustments to the Similkameen play in the third was deadly, the defending champs shutting down the Hesquiaht offence in the second half, significantly of note during the third frame when Hesquiaht was held off the scoreboard completely.
The cold hands for Hesquiaht and the shut down play of the fourth made for put away time for Smilkameen which captured their back to back title with a 50-29 final.
Similkameen 50-Hesquiaht 29
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Up next was the Masters Final and the first of the potential Home side wins from tournament time, with the Prince Rupert Trojans buoyed by a home crowd taking on the always challenging Hydaburg side.
The game had a cautious start, though as had been anticipated it became a physical game and one which would be dominated by a familiar name in ANBT circles.
Vinnie Edenshaw had a monster game for Hydaburg, accounting for 53 of the 82 Hydaburg points on the afternoon.
The Trojans made for a good run in the final quarter where they put up 24 points, but Edenshaw and his team mates quelled that surge nicely; claiming their title with an 82 -70 victory.
The gap on the scoreboard one which marked each of the quarters in favour of Hydaburg.
Prince Rupert 70 - Hydaburg 82
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The game which provided for the most excitement and last second theatrics was one which seemed a likely moment of destiny from the first tip off earlier in the tournament play.
The Metlakatla Alaska team, back in the tournament after an absence of a few years, arrived somewhat of an unknown.
But the energetic Metlakatla side had become one of the talks of the tournament by week's end.
A showdown with the Prince Rupert Cubs on Friday, one which went in favour of the Cubs, sent the Alaskans to Saturday's semi final where they dashed any dreams for Skidegate to move on.
The match up on Saturday evening saw the Cubs take a very fast start, building an impressive lead in the first ten minutes; but equally impressive was the resolve of the Metlakatla side which clawed their way back more than a few times.
Word must have spread quickly amongst fans that a barn burner was underway, by the time the half time break ended, the Russell Gamble Gymnasium was jammed with enthusiastic fans enjoying the battle.
The Third quarter provided for some of the most frantic play of the game and tournament with numerous lead changes, a turning point one which gave the Alaskans their first lead of the game heading into the final frame.
The Fourth quarter like the third, showcased skill and passion, the momentum shifts ebbing and flowing in a game that likely will be talked about for years from ANBT fans,
It was a contest that could have gone either way, a bounce here, a hard foul there and successful foul shot, the difference in the play.
In this instance, the visiting Alaskans made for a triumphant return to the Annual Prince Rupert event and served up a rivalry for the future.
Metlakatla Alaska 78 - Prince Rupert 76
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The Grand Finale, was a replay of the 2023 ANBT Closer, with the Senior Division sending the Skidegate Saints and the Burnaby Chiefs to the tip off circle to renew acquaintances.
Both teams had a few changes to their line ups, but also some returning names of fame to take to the court, the Saints looking good for a repeat, despite the torturous route required to navigate the schedule, with a Semi Final game earlier in the morning.
Burnaby on the other hand had clinched their spot in the final days ago, their path to the championship an impressive march through the days of play.
That break may have left them a tad sluggish early on, Skidegate came out fast and dominated a good portion of the first twenty minutes building to a 40-26 lead by halftime.
The half time break brought the Chiefs out with a renewed mission, an impressive third quarter push that erased the lead the Saints had built up, heading out of the third quarter with a 57-54 lead.
The fourth quarter saw Burnaby continue their offensive play, while frustrating the Saints with their defensive stops.
The gap in the score making for more frantic attempts to close the distance, a challenge that came up short by the final buzzer.
With the final whistle, the Burnaby side finally exorcised the ghosts of a year ago and will be holding the Senior's bragging rights until tip off in 2025.
Burnaby 81 -- Skidegate 72
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The last eight days of competition have been quite the ride for the players, fans and organizers of the tournament. The action at two venues moving for the most part like clockwork, with few glitchess apparent through tournament week.
All should offer up a well done to tall those involved in putting on another great show.
For the visitors to the city, this has been a week that Tourism Prince Rupert should put in a video, the weather was the most remarkable it may have ever been.
Each day a sun splashed showcase, the accumulated road dirt on the cars that jammed the Civic Centre complex a testimony of eight days of fantastic weather made remarkable by the lack of usual precipitation expected in Prince Rupert and perhaps indicative of the lack of car wash facilities in the city.
The Vendors area, the food trucks all the extra events of Tournament week, such as the Sacred Fire off the Civic Centre plaza all were elements adding to the annual event which brings Prince Rupert alive each February.
Mostly though, at the end of the tournament, it was the play on the court that counts, it brings the players and fans to town in celebration of the nations, putting Prince Rupert on the sports and cultural map for eight days.
The level of that play through the week provided for much to enjoy.
Yes there were a few blowouts, but there were also the nail biters and the realization that but for the bounce of a ball ... there could have been new stories and new champions to celebrate.
Through the week CFNR provided for extensive and highly entertaining broadcasts of many of the games, each year brings new advances to their game presentation which adds to the excitement of ANBT time.
Their archives from Tournament week include the Opening Ceremonies hosted by the Gitxsan Thunder and the Hall of Fame Ceremony of Tuesday.
Those CFNR archives which you can check out here, will also feature the Games of Championship Saturday, so if you missed some of the action, that's your destination to catch up.
That portal is also your one stop towards the list of All Stars and MVPs from the tournament.
As they prepare to turn off the lights and lock the doors at the Russell Gamble Gymnasium, the 64h ANBT is in the books, the planning for 65 already underway.
You can review the path to Championship Saturday here.
Some of our notes from Tournament week and a number of items from many other sources can be explored through our archive page here.
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