The Snuneymuxw Islanders U13 basketball team won the Junior All Native Basketball tournament for the second year in a row. The 2026 event was held March 15-20 in Langley. (Image Credit: Wes Shaw/Shotbug Press)

By Dan Marshall

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Snuneymuxw Islanders earn second straight JANT gold medal

Mar 27, 2026 | 3:18 PM

NANAIMO — The Snuneymuxw Islanders U13 girls’ basketball team are back-to-back champions at the Junior All Native Tournament (JANT).

Snuneymuxw went 5-0 in the 2026 tournament in Langley, including a 69-22 victory over the Mini Mystics in the final game on March 20.

Coach Daphne Robinson said the players are very dedicated, and she is extremely proud of the group.

“I liked seeing the massive improvement of all our players. They’re a really young team, and just seeing that and seeing them work together and better understanding what we’re asking of them was really awesome to see.”

The JANT is more than just basketball, with the group choosing to all stay at the same Airbnb and taking time to build new relationships and rekindle old ones.

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Robinson said it’s a major cultural experience beyond just a sporting tournament.

“It’s a gathering of nations from all over B.C. It’s one big potlatch to reconnect with friends and family from different nations. Sometimes it’s the only time we get to see them. It’s something we look forward to every year.

The Islanders are a mix of 11 and 12-year-olds, with five girls aging out this year.

Robinson said getting the team together is challenging because most of the girls play on other teams.

“The majority of them play school ball, which helps a lot. They get their practice and their shots in with different schools. This year we only got together two weeks before the JANT. It’s important we teach the fundamentals. We encourage camps, and a lot of them play spring league. We’re an urban team, and it helps a lot with them continuously playing.”

The Islanders hope to enter some other tournaments if possible, and Robinson has plans to continue coaching the group, which includes her own daughters, as they move up into the next age bracket.

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