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