The Junior All Native Tournament will be hosted by SFN between March 12 and 17, 2023. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

slam dunk

Snuneymuxw First Nation expecting upwards of 90 teams for basketball tournament

Apr 14, 2022 | 5:20 AM

NANAIMO — The largest basketball tournament in the province will be hosted by Snuneymxuw First Nation (SFN) next year.

SFN has been awarded the 2023 Junior All Native Tournament, involving an estimated 80 to 90 teams playing at several facilities between March 12 and 17 2023, according to SFN chief Mike Wyse.

He said hosting the tournament for the first time since 2015 is an honour for SFN, which has strong ties to basketball.

“Nanaimo is a basketball town as well, all of our high schools promote high school basketball. To have it come back to Nanaimo, Snuneymuxw again, we’re very excited.”

Wyse said games will be played at their Recreation and Wellness Centre on IR#1, while games will other school gyms in Nanaimo will be used for the tournament next spring break.

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He noted the tournament has divisions for boys and girls in the U17 and U13 categories and will include entries from the Snuneymuxw Native Sons basketball teams.

SFN’s Recreation and Wellness Centre will be well-used during the Junior All Native Tournament next March. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

“A lot of these kids go onto university and play basketball as well. To see these kids and be able to talk about them later in life is very exciting,” Wyse told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The Junior All Native Tournament dates back to 1947 and is considered one of the largest youth basketball tournaments in Canada.

SFN last hosted the event in 2015.

Economic benefits will be substantial, Wyse said, who noted the tournament will attract thousands of people to the Nanaimo area.

“Hotels and restaurants will benefit, it will provide opportunities for a lot of people to explore the area.”

SFN is partnering with multiple organizations in staging the event.

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