The All Native Basketball Tournament (ANBT) kicks off this coming week on Feb. 7.
ANBT president Peter Haugan spoke about preparations, the unveiling of the new court, and the parody expected in the Seniors’ Division.
“Everything is in order, the basketball portion of the tournament isn’t going to start until Feb. 8 - Monday morning. But on Sunday, we will have the coaches/managers’ meeting at 10 a.m. in the morning. At 2 p.m. we will unveil the brand new court. It will be in the arena, and a blessing of the court will happen.” All are welcome to come witness the blessing of the new court,” he said.
“At 7 p.m. on Sunday, [that] will be the opening ceremonies,” he added.
Hosting the opening ceremonies this year is the Metlakatla Alaska Nation.
In terms of competitive play, Haugan thinks that all four division titles are up for grabs with no one powerhouse expected to dominate.
“The Seniors’ Division is wide open, there are about five or six really good teams in there. They should push one another to be the champion. It should be a really level playing field, different than what we’ve seen in the past,” Peter mentioned.
It should be a fantastic event, showcasing values and skills from First Nations culture, as well some quality basketball that some teams have been training all year for.
For more information, check out the ANBT’s Facebook page at: All Native Basketball Tournament, or see the tournament guide sold throughout next week.