Skip to content

Day 3 Recap: Top-ranked teams win with one exception

Third-ranked Intermediate Nuxalk falls to Gitxsan

Day 3 of the All Native Basketball Tournament on Feb. 13 saw all but two of the top-ranked teams in action, with only one of those failing to advance in the winners bracket.

Nuxalk (Bella Coola), ranked third in the Intermediate Division, came up against a hot Gitxsan (Hazelton) squad, who the day before had crushed Gitxaala (Kitkatla) 87-65. Nuxalk would not fare any better as Gitxsan put up 78 points while holding the third-ranked team to just 49.

Nuxalk did get out to an early lead in the 9:30 draw Monday morning, but the Gitxsan Intermediates went on a 24-point unanswered run late in the first quarter and early in the second to establish what would end up being an insurmountable lead.

Elsewhere in Intermediate play, top-ranked Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) knocked off Laxgalts’ap 86-75 and second-ranked Prince Rupert had little trouble dispensing with challenger Massett easily advancing with a 91 - 71 victory.

In the Women’s Division, top-ranked Vancouver crushed Massett 74-13. Shenise Sigsworth, the 2022 Women’s Division MVP, shared top scoring honours with teammate Laura Lewis in the winning effort.

Second-ranked Similkameen did not have as easy a time advancing, but by the final buzzer were up 56-50 against this year’s host Nation Laxgalts’ap.

Third-ranked Hazelton was not scheduled to play until today (Feb. 14).

In the Senior Men’s Division defending champions Gtixaala (Kitkala) have yet to play, but both #2 Skidegate and #3 Massett relegated their opponents to the elimination bracket on Monday.

On the Masters side of the board top-ranked Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) handily defeated Gitga’at Hartley Bay 83 - 63.

Gitimidiik’s Justin Adams, 2022 Masters MVP, took a slight backseat to teammate Gene Wolff in top scoring honours in the game, putting up 20 to Wolff’s 22.

Second-ranked Gitwinksihlkw, also advanced on the winners side of the table barely edging out Haisla (Kitamaat) 101 - 98 in the highest scoring matchup in Masters play this year.

DAY 3, February 13 Complete Results

WOMEN’S DIVISION

All games were played in the arena

8 a.m. Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 49 vs Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 59

Top Scorers

Heiltsuk - Shayla Schooner - 15

Gitmidiik - Connie Johnson - 12

11 a.m. Haisla (Kitamaat) 64 vs Prince Rupert 37

Top Scorers

Haisla - McKenna Stevens - 17

PR - Alexis Ryan - 9

2:30 p.m. Gitga’at (Hartley Bay) 38 vs Massett 47

Top Scorers

Gitga’at - Tracy Reid - 11

Massett - Sarah Edenshaw - 20

6:30 p.m. Similkameen 56 vs Hesquiaht 50

Top Scorers

Similkameen - Jasmine Montgomery - 23

Hesquiaht - Mariah Charleson - 18

9:30 p.m. Massett 13 vs Vancouver 74

Top Scorers

Massett - Joey Pringle - 3

Vancouver - Shenise Sigsworth and Laura Lewis - 13

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION

All games were played in the main gym

8 a.m. Laxgalts’ap (Greenville) 75 vs Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 74

Top Scorers

Laxgalts’ap - Ethan Clayton - 31

Gitmidiik - Matthew Clayton - 22

9:30 a.m. Nuxalk (Bella Coola) 49 vs Gitxsan (Hazelton) 78

Top Scorers

Nuxalk - Morgan Nelson 10

Gitxsan - Marshal Skulsh - 20

11 a.m. Massett 71 vs Prince Rupert 91

Top Scorers

Massett - Stanley Swanson - 26

PR - Rylan Adams - 33

6:30 p.m. Laxgalts’ap 75 vs Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 86

Top Scorers

Heiltsuk - Blake Landsdowne - 36

Laxgalts’ap - Ethan Clayton - 31

SENIORS DIVISION

All games were played in the main gym

1 p.m. Prince Rupert 90 vs Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 80

Top Scorers

Prince Rupert - Russell Reece - 29

Heiltsuk - Gary Gladstone and Jordan Gladstone - 24

2:30 p.m. Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 45 vs Gitxsan Hazelton) 71

Top Scorers

Gitmidiik - Charles Leeson - 14

Gitxsan - Kaimen Starr - 23

4 p.m. Haisla (Kitamaat) 51 vs Massett 63

Top Scorers

Haisla - Jeremy Nyce - 21

Massett - William Edwards - 15

8 p.m. Burnaby 110 vs Prince Rupert 64

Top Scorers

Burnaby - Kobe McKnight 43

Prince Rupert - John Sampson - 19

9:30 p.m. Skidegate 94 vs Similkameen 87 (OT)

Top Scorers

Skidegate - Desi Collinson - 24

Similkameen - Jess Vissia - 31

MASTERS DIVISION

All games were played in the arena

9:30 a.m. Gitwinksihlkw 102 vs Haisla (Kitamaat) 98

Top Scorers

Gitwinksihlkw - Andrew Nyce - 37

Haisla - Craig Windsor - 30

1 p.m. Gitga’at (Hartley Bay) 69 vs Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 83

Top Scorers

Gitga’at - Derek Reece - 36

Gitmidiik - Gene Wolff - 22

4 p.m. Gingolx (Kincolith) 53 vs Prince Rupert 79

Top Scorers

Gingolx - Simon Gurney - 28

PR - Brandon Sampson and Kyle Cline - 16

8 p.m. Massett 66 vs Gitxsan (Hazelton) 68

Top Scorers

Massett - Jordan Williams 29

Gitxsan - Jess Olson - 17



Thom Barker

About the Author: Thom Barker

After graduating with a geology degree from Carleton University and taking a detour through the high tech business, Thom started his journalism career as a fact-checker for a magazine in Ottawa in 2002.
Read more