Muskeg Press

Wide open.

Perhaps there’s only one division where that exact statement can be said this year at the All Native Basketball Tournament. And the reason’s rather simple: teams like the Friendship House and the North Shore Wolves are in rebuild mode, as their players begin to graduate and move up to the senior division.

So with that in mind, this year’s intermediate’s door isn’t just wide open, it’s been ripped off its moorings, making this bracket rather tough to call.

Except for Muskeg News, that is.

1) Metlakatla, Alaska

This team always has a habit of taking a year or two off, and then reappearing with a vengeance. They did it in 2005, and again in 2008, and now, in 2011, ANBT fans can expect more of the same. Not much is known about this team, although word circulating throughout the villages is they have one player who, by all accounts, is unstoppable. Is it Ashton Hayward? From Metlakatla, it could be anyone, and despite a difficult opening draw against Skidegate, expect a return to the final from these guys.

2) North Shore Wolves

Wait a minute, did someone say “rebuild?” Yes, but North Shore can probably hang around one more year, and there are two reasons for this. Number one, they still get one last year out of 2009 MVP Desmond Pack. Number two, they received a much more favourable draw than the No. 1 seeded Friendship House, and won’t face any real test until the semi-final on Friday. So this can only mean one thing: a rematch of the 2008 Final, won by Metlakatla. Oh, that’s the word we were looking for: déjà-vu.

3) Friendship House

Make no mistake — college is important, and the Friendship House is a huge supporter when its young stars head off to light up a basketball court somewhere else in Canada. But this does have a tendency to cause difficulty back at home in Prince Rupert, and 2011 is no exception. Not only have a couple of key players from last year’s winning team moved up to senior ball, but Charlie Leeson, last year’s MVP, is also off playing college ball, and word has it that Adrian Robinson won’t be available either. Add a tough opening draw versus either Skidegate or Metlakatla, and repeating as champs will be tough for the local crew.

4) Massett THE DARK HORSE

This may look like a curious pick from the outside. After all, aside from Nico York, on paper, this young Haida squad may not look that strong. But they do have quickness, and if they lose their opener versus Vancouver, they will draw in to an easy portion of the loser’s bracket, and should be able to roll … right to a fourth-place finish.

5) Kitamaat

The window has almost closed for this very strong team, as they always seem to end up with a brutal draw. This year, they should be fine, right up until they run headlong into the meat of the draw where Metlakatla, Skidegate, and/or the Friendship House will be waiting. Still, with Darren and Dan Metz still around for one more season, this team could surprise and go all the way.

6) Vancouver

Van-City had a great run last year, and led by Jamie Ross, there are those who think they can do it again. But speedy teams gave Vancouver fits last year, and it’s likely that will happen again in 2011 versus squads like Massett and the North Shore Wolves.

7) Bella Bella

A young up-and-coming team, Bella Bella is still probably a year or two away from making a serious charge at the ANBT. Jessel Housty gives the squad good court presence, but cracking the top five this year probably isn’t in the cards.

8) Lax Kw’alaams

Port Simpson was late in getting all their rosters into the ANBT, so not a lot is known about this team that two years ago, when led by Vernon Alexcee Jr., made a lot of noise at the All-Native Junior provincials. If Alexcee is still around, the Port has a good shot of making the top five, but eighth is probably where they’ll end up.

9) Skidegate

Ninth? I see a potential banning of The Mulleted One from Haida Gwaii with this prediction, but look at the draw. It’s arguably the most brutal draw of the tournament, as the Saints open versus Metlakatla, AK, and if they win that game, they face their arch-rivals the Friendship House next. And a loss in that opener means that likely they’ll still run into one of those two teams in the loser’s side of the bracket.

10) Kincolith

It’s all about Tyler Stevens for this team, and a fortunate decent opening draw against Hartley Bay. Even if they lose that game, they should still be able to notch at least one victory to ensure they’ll be back at the dance in 2012.

11) Hartley Bay

If Hartley Bay has one thing going for them, it’s rebounding: both Shawn and Tristan Reece give this squad a huge presence underneath. But after that, the roster weakens, and the two Reeces will have to stay out of foul trouble to give this team any hope at winning more than one contest.

12) Hazelton

Let’s get one thing straight — Travis Smith can score. At will. But the supporting cast just isn’t there, and an opener against Bella Bella hurts too. A look into the crystal ball is pretty clear: two-and-out.

13) Kitkatla

Another young team, looking to build to the future. Jacob Aster has some game, and his teammates can probably ensure they’ll be close in every game. But note we said “close”, not “win.”

14) Gitwinksihlkw

This team has struggled for success ever since their sharp-shooter Andrew Nyce moved up to the senior division, and 2011 is no different. They will be the first team sent home.

~Written by Patrick Witwicki

The ringer rule is now a thing of the past. So, really, when it comes to the senior men’s division, there can only be one question worth asking: can anyone beat Hydaburg?

True, that has been an annual theme for the better part of 15 years at the All-Native Basketball Tournament, with only Massett in 2000 and Bella Bella in 2008 interrupting what has otherwise been the ANBT’s most dominant dynasty ever. And with the odd exception, the small Alaskan community has done it without the help of any ringer whatsoever.

And now, the applecart has been tipped even closer to Hydaburg. Will this dynasty ever end?

1) Hydaburg

Last year, they competed without Matt Carle Jr., and still won. Now, he’s back, alongside his usual cast of sharp-shooters named Edenshaw — namely Devin, Darren, and Vinny. Even the Haida giant Sid Edenshaw will be back in the middle, as Hydaburg has once again chosen not to send a Masters team, and it’s unlikely anyone outside of Bella Bella or Ahousaht will even give this juggernaut any real competition. The ANBT Senior Men’s title truly goes through Hydaburg, like it always has.

2) Ahousaht

If there’s one team that might have an outside shot of knocking off Hydaburg, it might be this tiny community off the west coast of Vancouver Island. For two consecutive years, they were handed arguably the toughest draw of the bracket, and yet somehow made it to the finals at the 50th, before finishing fifth last year. Finally, they received a more pleasurable first round draw, and should be able to ride that wave right into the final, thanks to some outstanding hoopsters like Waylon Swan and Luke Robinson.

3) Bella Bella

Bella Bella heads into 2011 as the case-study for the ringer rule. When they won it all in 2008, Phil Nadrazsky was the pick-up player, and he won MVP. Now, the two Bells ring up 2011 without a Nadrazsky to help them out, but will that make them better, worse, or the same? After all, Bella Bella does have the distinction of being the only Canadian village that isn’t Haida to win this division in the past 20 years (1995 and 2008). And with Shawn Gladstone leading the way, anything’s possible.

4) North Shore Wolves

Last year’s dark horse always seemed to run into trouble with fatigue, as they only came to Rupert with eight players. They’ve increased that roster by two, which should help last year’s leading scorer Sean Holland and the rest of the very tall and talented Wolves, who will more-than-likely duplicate last year’s No. 4 finish.

5) Klemtu THE DARK HORSE

Klemtu, like Ahousaht, also benefited from sliding into the nice placement of the draw, getting an opening game versus Kitkatla. This team does have some talent in the likes of Vern Brown and Doug Neasloss, and Muskeg News is expecting an upset or two along the way, as Klemtu will get their highest finish ever at the ANBT.

6) Vancouver

The bracket might be shuddering a bit at the thought of facing not just one Nadrazsky, but two from the same team, as both Phil and Alex will be teammates, making Van-City a threat. The only problem: Vancouver somehow has to find a way to get past New Aiyansh, North Shore, and then Bella Bella in succession. No easy task, even for a Nadrazsky.

7) New Aiyansh

New Aiyansh is probably still cursing what transpired in 2006. They had Hydaburg by 17 points midway through the second half, and let it slip away. Ever since, the Nass Valley team has been in decline, despite the ongoing efforts of Justin Adams and Arnie Pelletier. Injuries hurt Aiyansh terribly last year, but word is they are healthy this year. That probably isn’t enough to finish higher than seventh, however.

8) Friendship House Chiefs

Call this the “what-if” pick. If Jacob Thom manages to suit up for the Chiefs, this pick is thrown out the window, as with a supporting cast that includes Brandon Sampson and Darryn Lawson, the Chiefs could easily crack the top five. But without Thom who has spent the past four seasons as MVP with Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, the Chiefs will be hard-pressed to succeed, especially with a second-round game looming versus Hydaburg.

9) Kincolith

We’re not really sure how a team that will have to depend a lot on Quentin Moore winds up ninth, except they did wind up with arguably the easiest draw of the tournament — providing, of course, they lose their opener against the Friendship House.

10) Massett

Every year, this Haida team tries to convince Willis Parnell, the MVP from 2000, to come out of retirement to help their cause. Occasionally, he does. This year, word is he won’t, and Tyler York will be expected to carry this team. All things considered, 10th isn’t that bad, is it?

11) Bella Coola

You can never count out a team led by Louis Edgar, who can score from anywhere, but unfortunately, he can’t do it on his own. A tough second game against their closest neighbours, Bella Bella, won’t help either.

12) Kitkatla

Ed Smith, you have your work cut out for you. An opener against Klemtu has potential for Kitkatla, but that’s about it.

13) Lax Kw’alaams

The Boyz from Port Simpson are guaranteed one thing: a win in their opener against Gitsegukla. Hey, with rebounders like Gary and Chris Sankey, that shouldn’t be a problem. After that, however, life gets rather difficult with Ahousaht standing in their way.

14) Skidegate

Fourteenth? I can already hear the cries of dismay. A team with Desi Collinson and the Alsaps … fourteenth? Uh, did you look at the draw? True, they should handle Greenville, but then a date with the North Shore Wolves, and then a tumble into the loser’s bracket to face New Aiyansh … sorry, there won’t be any Saints marching in 2011.

15) Gitsegukla

One year, this village is going to take the next step and win a game or two at the ANBT, but the building blocks were never put in place back at the Intermediate age, unlike the programs that exist in both the Nass Valley and in Kitamaat. So one day, they will win — but not this year.

16) Greenville

The last team to be invited will be one of the first teams sent packing, even though Andrew Nyce can sink treys from anywhere. He can’t do it alone however, even though he’s going to have to.

17) Kitamaat

Kitamaat’s Senior Men’s team will look pretty good starting next year, as players from their very good Intermediates team begin to move up. In 2011 however, a brutal draw and a puzzling decision to include 2004 Masters division MVP Ellis Ross on the squad probably means a quick two-and-out for the Haisla Nation.

~Written by Patrick Witwicki

We continue our series of previews for each division of the All-Native Basketball Tournament, which begins on Sunday. Sportswriter Patrick Witwicki, who covered the tournament for six years with the Daily News, will use his encyclopedic knowledge of the event and predict where each team will finish in the bracket. Today: the masters division.

For the second straight year, the masters division at the All-Native Basketball Tournament consists of only 10 squads. And perhaps it’s this division where the “no ringer” rule will affect things the most, as teams like New Aiyansh last year (and Skidegate in years past) can no longer add a pick-up player to their rosters.

So once again, that leaves Bella Bella as a heavy favourite.

1) Bella Bella

The defending champs will have everyone back, such as Cliff Starr, Richard Reid, and the rest of a very good supporting cast. They did wind up with a difficult opening draw, as they have to face Willis Parnell and company from Massett, but otherwise, expect this squad to pull in their third banner in four years.

2) Kitamaat

Let the groaning begin. Another runner-up for the Braves? They do have a habit of always being the bridesmaid, as they have the Buffalo Bills stigma of four second-place finishes in a row, after winning it all in 2004. Plus, Ellis Ross has chosen to play Senior Men’s, which leaves this team a little short-handed. But the Braves still have the likes of Mike Ridsdale, and a favourable opening draw against Hartley Bay doesn’t hurt either.

3) Kincolith THE DARK HORSE

Ah yes, remember 2004. Kitamaat does, and it’s likely that Kincolith does too. That’s the last time the Sons came close to a championship, and they probably would have won it if not for some missed foul shots down the stretch. The past two seasons have been tough, as many of the Bartons have chosen to play for New Aiyansh. But this year, both Calvin and Mel are back, and the Sons should be feared by everyone in this bracket.

4) New Aiyansh

No ringer allowed has really affected this squad. At press time, it’s unsure where big man Richard Russ might play, but one thing is known for sure: Aiyansh has lost two Bartons to Kincolith, so getting back to the ANBT final will be rather difficult. They did get a nice opening draw in Port Simpson, and just getting that one victory will guarantee at least fourth place. Funny how that works, eh?

5) Massett

The masters division is always about remembering the good times, and for Old Massett, no one will ever forget 2000, when a team led by Willis Parnell defeated Hydaburg in the Senior Men’s final. The core from that team will now suit up in the masters division this year, and they probably have the best shot at knocking off Bella Bella. Too bad that shot happens in their opener, which is why we’re picking them to finish fifth.

6) Prince Rupert

The Coast Masters have always had trouble with discipline. Their contest against New Aiyansh last year almost turned into a boxing match, and their leader, Joe Woods, is probably still seething from that outcome. But finishing higher than sixth may be tough, as potential dates with Kitamaat and a rematch with Aiyansh loom.

7) Kitkatla

Kitkatla might actually be okay in 2011, as Richard Robinson Jr. has just moved up to Masters, and should provide this team with some decent scoring up front. They can also hit the threes, so finishing higher than seventh is possible. Not likely, though.

8) Port Simpson

Sometimes a team just doesn’t get the breaks, and Port Simpson certainly didn’t get any when the draw took place. First off, they have to play New Aiyansh, and if they lose, they will then have to face either Bella Bella, Massett, or Kincolith. One word: ouch. Even if they somehow beat Aiyansh, then Kitamaat will lie waiting. The Boyz might be back — but not for long.

9) Hartley Bay

Marshall Reece is probably wondering where the offense for this team will come from. So are we. It’s unlikely the Gitga’at nation will be around for much longer than two games in 2011.

10) Gitwinksihlkw

David Griffin can play, and he always leads Canyon City in scoring. The problem is that he just doesn’t have a supporting cast around him to help, and this year’s tourney is no different. It’s two-and-out for the Lizards.

~Written by Patrick Witwicki

Today, we begin a series of previews for each division of the All-Native Basketball Tournament, which begins on Sunday. Sportswriter Patrick Witwicki, who covered the tournament for six years with the Daily News, will use his encyclopedic knowledge of the event and predict where each team will finish in the bracket. We start with the women’s division.

The reason for this is rather straightforward: the defending champs from Metlakatla, Alaska, are unable to attend this year’s tournament, opening the door for many of the young up-and-coming teams in this bracket, headlined by the team that had last year’s title in their back pocket — until a last-second turnover changed everything.

That team is Kitamaat, who would then go on to suffer a similar fate at the All-Native Junior provincials in March, losing yet another heartbreaker to the Okanagan in that particular final. Have the Braves learned from their mistakes?

Even if they haven’t, they are likely the team to beat in this 12-team bracket.

1) Kitamaat

Sometimes a winning team first has to lose before they figure out how to win. If this is true, Kitamaat should be able to rebound from last year’s heartbreak and move to the next level. They are also a young team, meaning that Kitamaat is on the verge of being a dominant team in this bracket for years to come. Adelia Paul and Miranda Ross are just two of their talented young players, but they also have the veteran leadership of Deanna Smith when things start to get dicey. No Metlakatla also means the number-one seed and a favourable draw, as Kitamaat goes after their first women’s division title since 2000.

2) North Pacific Rain

This Rupert team is no stranger to success, but they have taken a backseat in the draw the past couple seasons as they’ve been in rebuild mode after their three straight titles from 2004-06. But many of their key components from those championship teams are back, such as Kristen Helin, and Cary-Lynn Cochrane certainly knows how to run the offense. If Kitamaat falters, look out for nothing but Rain.

3) Gitwinksihlkw

Last year, the Canyon City Wildcats simply ran out of gas. They had to replay one of their games against Ahousaht after some controversy over the final score, and after taking care of business at 2 a.m., they simply had trouble recovering from that weariness. But their star player Mariah Tait is one of the best players at the tournament, and her supporting cast of Azak sisters makes this team a force to be reckoned with.

4) Nanaimo THE DARK HORSE

ANBT fans will probably notice the absence of Ahousaht, and that’s because two of their stars, Anna Atleo and Jeanine Adams, have jumped ship, forming a team in Nanaimo that will instead look to disrupt the bracket. Nanaimo hasn’t attended the tournament since the mid-1990s, and their return will likely be the surprise of the draw.

5) Metlakatla Crest

It must seem strange to see this perennial juggernaut ranked so low, especially since top players Judy Carlick and Denise Wilson are still very capable of getting it done. But there are younger and quicker teams in the bracket now that can outrun this squad, who will have to slow the pace down in their favour. Plus, Metlakatla’s opening draw is as tough as it gets, starting with a strong Bella Bella squad and then a potential date with the Rain.

6) Kincolith

Expectations were high for this young squad last year, but they had some trouble handling the pressure of the big stage. It could be argued that Kincolith is where Kitamaat’s program was five years ago: building towards something great. But an opening game versus Nanaimo is going to play a huge role where Kincolith ends up, despite the leadership of Lena Doolan.

7) Vancouver

Vancouver had their best finish at the ANBT since winning two consecutive titles back in the mid-1990s, and Lorraine Guss is one of the hardest-working players in the tournament. She also has a decent supporting cast. But Vancouver could be in tough with potential contests against first Nanaimo and then Kitamaat. Still, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and Van-City definitely has the guns to do it.

8) Bella Bella

Bella Bella will likely take a small step backward this year, after a decent finish at last year’s tournament. But not having Yvonne Campbell’s leadership will hurt, and the team will hope that Lisa Clifton’s inconsistency finally disappears in 2011 and she lives up to the talent she showed back when she was a Rainmaker.

9) Kispiox

Oh how the mighty have fallen. The elimination of the ringer rule will truly hurt this squad, a team that has been a favourite to win it all nearly every year. This means no Kerri Meir, and a huge lack in rebounding.  Plus, only one Stoney twin (Michelle) will be suiting up for Kispiox this season, and everyone will remember how that hurt Kispiox back in 2005 when they went a quick two-and-out with only one Stoney. They will probably suffer a similar fate in 2011.

10) Kitkatla

The Nelson girls always give this team a chance to win, and much like Metlakatla Crest, they too play their best when they slow the play down and grind it out. An opening draw against rebuilding Greenville doesn’t hurt either, and that should at least ensure Kitkatla sticks around for at least a game or two.

11) Simpcw

Call this the unknown factor. Word is that this teams hails from just outside of Kamloops, meaning it’s not necessarily the Okanagan team that won the ANJT last year. Then again, if it is, throw this prediction out the window, as this squad could potentially be the “other” dark horse.

12) Greenville

No Aces up the sleeve this time. True, they do have Alicia Stevens and the Taits, but aside from that, Greenville will have trouble surviving the bracket in 2011.

~Written by Patrick Witwicki

For the first time in at least two decades, teams travelling to Prince Rupert for the All Native Basketball Tournament (ANBT) will not be allowed to include a pick-up player on their roster. The ringer rule that once existed is now gone.

It’s just one change of many that the ANBT Committee decided to implement in time for the 52nd annual event. It all began with the decision to cancel the All-Native Qualifying Tournament back in November, deciding the way it used to be prior to the addition of the ANQT was the way to go. The top 11 would still automatically be back for the following year’s tournament, but the ANBT would go back to the invite system, where villages and teams that didn’t play in the previous year’s tournament would then be extended the invite to compete.

Then, the ANBT Committee got even bolder, and eliminated the pick-up player rule — where any team could add one player to their roster that was not from their home village, as long as the player was aboriginal, was not a professional basketball player, and lived in the same province (or in the case of Alaskan teams, the same state).

Perhaps surprisingly, the decision has been welcomed by the majority of teams, said ANBT President Peter Haugan.

“The villages, they like the no pick-up rule, because now their players have to play for them,” he said. “If you want to build your team up, now you don’t have to worry about players moving away.”

Haugan added that many of the successful teams over the years haven’t gone with a ringer anyway, and Hydaburg in the Senior Men’s division is probably a good example of a team that won without a ringer.

“Everybody was allowed a ringer, so what happened was, you brought in a player who hasn’t played with you and they didn’t really know how to play with your team,” he said.

There were some exceptions along the way, however, most notably in 2008 when Bella Bella ended Hydaburg’s record-breaking run of seven straight championships in the Senior Men’s division, with their ringer, Phil Nadrazsky, winning the MVP.

Eliminating the ringer, however, makes the playing field more fair for everyone, and besides, it also eliminates extra headaches for the ANBT committee.

“If you want a ringer, really, you should grab a player who is going to be your star,” said Haugan. “But the other problem is that when they bring in someone you don’t know, we don’t have the time to even check if he’s First Nations or not.”

For the 52nd edition of the ANBT, the Intermediates division is the lone bracket this year that is sticking to tradition: it’s a straight-forward 14-team draw, with the local team, the Friendship House Tribesmen, hoping to defend their title. But it won’t be easy, as Rupert’s first game will be versus the Skidegate-Metlakatla (Alaska) winner.

The Women’s division, meanwhile, has surprisingly dropped to 12 teams this year, as the defending champs, Metlakatla (Alaska) are unable to attend this year. This means Kitamaat draws the number-one, and they open the tournament against the Kispiox-Simpcw winner.

Two new teams have entered the Women’s draw, with Nanaimo making its first trip to the ANBT since the mid-1990s, and Simpcw is a first-timer, hailing from the outskirts of Kamloops.

For a second straight year, the Masters division will go with a simple 10-team draw, with defending champs Bella Bella once again the heavy favourites to win it all. New Aiyansh, last year’s runner-up, has endured a bit of a change with some of their players deciding to play for Kincolith instead, which could make the draw a lot more interesting.

As for the Senior Men’s draw, this bracket may raise the most eyebrows. There are 17 teams, three over the usual limit for a draw. But Haugan explained this year’s ANBT theme is the “Canoe Journey” that traversed the area last summer, concluding in the Nass Valley, so the ANBT wanted to make sure every single team along the way was invited.

“We had 16, but Greenville was out, so we invited them to come too,” said Haugan.

The Opening Ceremonies will once again be held Sunday night inside the Russell Gamble Gymnasium, and Haugan added that last year’s decision to move the Opening Ceremonies from Tuesday to Sunday was welcomed by everyone.

“Before, there were teams knocked out before we even got there,” he said.

Games in the Senior Men’s and Intermediates divisions get going on Sunday, starting at 8 a.m., while action in both the Women’s and Masters will start until Monday.

~Written by Patrick Witwicki. Image courtesy of the All-Native Basketball Tournament.