Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Finishing touches in place as All Native Basketball Tournament launch on the horizon

Update: Most recent scores and schedule of upcoming games from Tournament Action available here.

Over the next few days, the participants and their fans from locations across British Columbia and southern Alaska will begin to descend on Prince Rupert.

Marking the end of a year of fund raising and practice time as tip off to the All Native Basketball Tournament gets near.

The seven days from February 8th to the 14th, bring high tempo basketball to the Jim Ciccone Recreation Complex, as 51 teams look to leave it all on the floor in the quest for the top spot in each division.

The Russell Gamble Gymnasium is the gathering place for an annual reunion that brings familiar faces back to the North Coast to cheer on their hometown village teams, all entering the tourney at day one seeking to take the championship from each category back home with them.

For Prince Rupert, the tournament provides a burst of activity, with local hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and retail options receiving a boost to revenues. For the visitors the week long festival serves as both a reunion and symbol of their 56 years of shared history.

Beyond the basketball in the main venues, First Nations arts, crafts and foods will be available in the Auditorium, a location that is always a place of welcome for those sampling the various items that are being offered for the week.

While the participating teams may change from year to year, there are traditional powerhouse squads ready to establish their bragging rights.

While challengers come with dreams of providing that one upset game that will leave the crowd talking about their squad for the years to come.

The tournament opens early Sunday morning, as the Ladies Division takes to the court, with Kamloops and Bella Coola providing for the ice breaker to the 2015 experience with tip off at 11 AM.

The Tournament gets is official launch with the always memorable Opening Ceremonies on Sunday evening, it is an event that proves to be one of the toughest tickets in town to come by as the anticipation for the tournament reaches its final push.

The other significant event over the course of the week long festivities will be the induction of the Hall of Fame Class for 2015, celebrating those players, officials and tournament organizers of the past who have kept the spirit of the All Native Tournament alive over the years.

Tickets are available at the All Native Tournament office at 259 3rd Avenue West, more information on the Tournament can be found by calling 250 627 8997.

Radio station CFNR is the official broadcaster of the All Native Basketball Tournament, providing up dates and features on the event both for those in Prince Rupert but for the folks back home who couldn't make the trip to the North Coast this year.  More on their coverage can be found here.

Updated information regrading Tournament events can be found from the ANBT website or through their Facebook page.

The final listing for the draws for the 56th edition, feature competition in four categories, you can review the path required to each championship game below:




Senior Men's Competition

CFNR Rosters for Senior Men's Division




Intermediate Competition

CFNR Rosters for Intermediate Division


Our archive of items from previous years of the All Native Tournament, as well as items of review from the Qualifying tournament of the fall can be found here.

This page will serve as our anchor page for the week long tournament, the quick link can be found on the right hand side of the blog under our North Coast Events section.

Updates on developments will be included on the blog through the week, archived below, marked by our NCR icon to signal our original content.

February 19 -- North Coast MLA pays tribute to All Native Basketball Tournament at Legislature NCR
February 14 -- Showdown Saturday at the All Native Basketball Tournament  NCR
February 11 -- Ridley Terminals celebrates All Native Basketball Tournament with ticket giveaway NCR
February 9 -- Lester Centre to host a special evening of music as part of ANBT festivities tonight NCR
February 2 -- CityWest celebrates the All Native Basketball Tournament with $5,000 donation NCR

News items from other media sources related to the week long celebration of basketball and culture can be found below:


February 26 -- Coming together through competition at the ANBT
February 19 -- North Coast MLA pays tribute to All Native Basketball Tournament at Legislature NCR
February 16 -- Commentary on Sid Edenshaw's Hall of Fame Induction (audio)
February 16 -- Alaska teams Win Two of the Four Division Finals at All-Native Basketball Tournament
February 15 -- Wild William Wesley at the All-Native Basketball Tournament (video)
February 14 -- ANBT Perry Terrell (video)
February 13 -- ANBT Desi Collinson (video)
February 13 -- ANBT Ed Newman (video)
February 13 -- ANBT profile - Player Overcomes Illness (video)
February 13 -- B. C. LNG sponsorship inappropriate at All Native Tournament, team says
February 13 -- Basketball Player Overcomes Mental Illness
February 13 -- Wild William Wesley calls his last basketball game (audio)
February 12 -- All Native Basketball Tournament First Aid (video)
February 12 -- All Native Tournament Day 5
February 11 -- All Native Basketball Tournament triumphs over racist past in Prince Rupert, BC
February 11-- Oil and gas money ruining All Native: Saints
February 11-- Ten years of the tournament
February 10 -- All Native Tournament Day 3 (video)
February 10 -- Chad Dennis, Port Simpson (video)
February 9 -- Tristan Alexander, Metlakatla Alaska (video)
February 9 -- All Native Basketball Tournament Begins (video)
February 9 -- All Native Basketball Tournament Begins
February 9 -- Basketball player Jared Casey goes public with struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder
February 4 -- Prince Rupert Ready for All Native Basketball tournament (audio)
February 3 -- All Native Basketball Tournament
February 3 -- All Native Basketball Tournament impact (video)

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