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2024 All Native Basketball Tournament - Day 6 Recap

Second-seeded Haisla women sent packing; Hydaburg Masters become first to qualify for finals

On Day 6 of the All Native Basketball Tournament Feb. 15, eliminations continued including that of a second seed.

In the Women’s Division, the Haisla (Kitamaat) Ladies finally drew the short straw against Vancouver ending their hopes of a rematch of last year’s championship game with Similkameen.

The Ladies were relegated to the elimination bracket on Sunday by the unseeded but powerful Hesquiaht Descendants.

On the elimination side of the draw Haisla battled their way through Ahousaht, knocked out the host Prince Rupert Rain, and defeated Bella Coola before coming up against third-ranked Vancouver, who had also been tossed down to the losers side by Hesquiaht.

Hesquiaht failed to make it all the way through the winners’ side falling to the elimination bracket courtesy of the defending champion Similkameen Starbirds on Thursday 59-52. The Descendants will have another crack at securing a spot in the final when they face Laxgalts’ap (Greenville) later today.

Laxgalts’ap, who came into the week as the fourth seed also fell to Similkameen on the winners side, but were too much for Vancouver this morning (Feb. 16) winning decisively 67 - 47.

The playoff situation also took shape in the other divisions on Day 6 as well.

On the Masters’ side, Hydaburg became the first qualifier for the Masters final by knocking off the defending champions Gitmidiik on Thursday 93-84.

Gitmidiik now needs to get past third seed Prince Rupert to set up the rematch of last year’s final with Hydaburg and a shot at their fourth consecutive Masters title. The Prince Rupert - Gitmidiik semi-final is scheduled for 4 p.m. this afternoon.

In the Intermediate Division, the defending champion Prince Rupert Cubs prevailed over Massett 106 - 81 to secure the winners’ side semi-final against the team from Metlakatla, Alaska. The Americans came into the tournament unranked by virtue of the fact they have not been to the All Native for several years, but look like they could give the Cubs a run for their money.

That game goes at 1 p.m. this afternoon.

The second (Skidegate) and third (Heiltsuk) seeds also remain in the playoff picture and will face each other tonight at 8 p.m. for a shot at the loser of Prince Rupert-Metlakatla game in the elimination bracket semi-final tomorrow morning (Feb. 17).

The Senior men lag a little behind the other divisions schedule-wise, but the remaining teams are no surprise. First-, second- and third-ranked Skidegate, Burnaby and Similkameen are still in the picture along with Gitxaala (Kitkatla). Although unranked at the beginning of the week, Gitxaala is a perennial powerhouse who have won three out of the last six Senior Division titles.

Skidegate and Burnaby will face off this afternoon in the winners’ bracket semifinal to determine the first qualifier for the championship game.

Gitxaala and Similkameen will play off tonight at 9:30 to see who gets to play the loser of Burnaby - Skidegate for the other championship berth. The Senior Men’s semi-final goes tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 RESULTS *denotes elimination

WOMEN’S DIVISION

9:30 a.m. Vancouver 61 vs *Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 60

Top Scorers

Vancouver - Shenise Sigsworth 25

Gitmidiik -Mariah Tate 32

1:00 p.m. Kitamaat 80 vs *Nuxalk (Bella Coola) 52

Top Scorers

Kitamaat - McKenna Stevens 22

Nuxalk - Shayla Schooner 22

4:00 p.m. Hesquiaht 52 vs Similkameen 59

Top Scorers

Hesquiaht - Jada Touchie 23

Similkameen - Jade Montgomery Waardenburg 24

8:00 p.m. Vancouver 51 vs *Kitamaat 43

Top Scorers not available at time of publication

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION

8:00 a.m. Massett 81 vs Prince Rupert 106

Top Scorers

Massett - Calvin Collinson 27

Prince Rupert - Rylan Adams 24

9:30 a.m. Skidegate 62 vs *Gitxsan (Hazelton) 54

Skidegate - Isaiah Price 17

Gitxsan - Skyler Chisan 20

11:00 a.m. Lax Kw’alaams 78 vs *Nuxalk (Bella Coola) 69

Top Scorers

Lax Kw’alaams - Lloyd Dudoward 26/Dylan Calder 26

Nuxalk - Kayden Parr 30

1:00 p.m. Metlakatla AK 90 vs Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 86

Top Scorers

Metlakatla - Cameron Gaube 40

Heiltsuk - Blake Lansdowne 29/Carson Martin 29

6:30 p.m. Skidegate 75 vs *Massett 63

Top Scorers

Skidegate - Daylyn Moraes 38

Massett - Calvin Collinson 21

SENIORS DIVISION

2:30 p.m. *Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 60 vs Gitga’at (Hartley Bay) 102

Top Scorers

Heiltsuk - Eric Gaudry 14

Russell Reece 33

4:00 p.m. *Nuxalk (Bella Coola) 60 vs Lax Kw’alaams 82

Top Scorers

Nuxalk - Faavae Waa 17/Jalen Williams 17

Lax Kw’alaams - Jakob Henry 16

8:00 p.m. Gitxaala (Kitkatla) 82 vs Skidegate 98

Top Scorers not available at time of publication

9:30 p.m. Gitga’at (Hartley Bay) 78 vs *Gitxsan (Hazelton) 66

Top Scorers

Gitga’at - Kaine Wesley 28

Gitxsan - Travis Smith 15

MASTERS DIVISION

8:00 a.m. *Kitamaat 77 vs Massett 83

Top Scorers

Kitamaat - Daryle Bolton 29

Massett - Jordan Williams 27

11:00 a.m. Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) 63 vs *Gingolx (Kincolith) 43

Top Scorers

Heiltsuk - William Hall 18

Gingolx - Simon Gurney 24

2:30 p.m. Hydaburg 93 vs Gitmidiik (New Aiyansh) 84

Top Scorers

Hydaburg - Vinny Edenshaw 38

Gitmidiik - Jordan Vickers 23

6:30 p.m. *Gitwinksihlkw 84 vs Massett 88

Top Scorers

Gitwinksihlkw - John Johansen 20

Massett - Jordan Williams 31

9:30 p.m. Prince Rupert 79 vs *Heiltsuk 47

Top Scorers

Prince Rupert - Kyle Cline 16

Heiltsuk - William Hall 13



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.
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