March 23, 2026 / Prince Rupert, BC—The Prince Rupert area was once again well represented by local Indigenous athletes at the 50th annual Junior All Native Basketball Tournament (JANT), thanks in part to a travel grant from Trigon Terminals and other local donors.
The Prince Rupert-based Northern Indigenous Basketball Association (NIBA) coordinated a contingent of more than three dozen local athletes, along with volunteer coaches and chaperones, who traveled to this year’s tournament, which was co-hosted by the Kwantlen and Semanoo First Nation at the Langley Events Centre.
Participating NIBA teams included Gitwaaltk (U17 girls), Coastal Pride (U13 boys), and Ts’ap (U17 boys).
Coastal Pride earned a strong third-place finish in the Gold Division, while Prince Rupert Ts’ap captured the 2026 JANT Championship banner, with Jacob Leighton of Ts’ap honoured as this year’s MVP, and Brandon Basso and Carl Sampson awarded First Team All Stars.
The Junior All Native is a tournament of decades-long standing and the largest Indigenous youth sports gathering in British Columbia. With over 1500 participating athletes at the 2026 tournament, and thousands of fans and supporters on hand to cheer them on, it is one of the largest basketball tournaments in Canada.
“On the North Coast, basketball is more than just a game — it’s a gathering place for Indigenous communities and an important part of the culture”, says NIBA President Regan Parks. “For youth in Prince Rupert, competing at JANT is a powerful experience – a chance to showcase their talent and represent their community with pride. Experiences like this help shape these young athletes into proud leaders and role models for future generations”.
Travel and accommodation costs are a challenge for many JANT teams, particularly when longer distances are involved. The Prince Rupert players step up with their own significant fundraising efforts and also volunteer in support of various community initiatives.
To support with the ‘last mile’ fundraising efforts, a grant from Trigon’s Community Investment Fund helped offset travel and accommodation costs for local participants, as part of Trigon’s multi-year support for the event.
Trigon President and CEO Craig Olley said the company was pleased to continue support of an important annual event that showcases athletic excellence, and also strengthens community and cultural connections for Indigenous youth.
Contacts:
Regan Parks, Kristen Barre northernindigenousbasketball@gmail.com kbarre@trigonbc.com 250-627-6467 250-600-1072 Northern Indigenous Basketball Association Trigon Community Relations Liaison
