Fort Nelson First Nation debuts in prestigious Junior All-Native Basketball Tournament this weekend

FORT NELSON, B.C. — Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) will be sending a team to the prestigious Junior All-Native Basketball Tournament (JANT) from March 17th to 22nd in Terrace.

This is the first year that the First Nation has sent a team to compete in the championship, according to FNFN athletic director Cedar Welchin.

“Typically, this tournament has more coastal teams from the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island,” said Welchin. “We’re the only team from the north that’s going to be going.”

With the mentality that they are setting the template for future FNFN teams, they began practicing in January.

Welchin says that many of the players didn’t know about the tournament, noting that they described it to them as the “Olympics” of basketball for Indigenous programs.

“This town is more of a hockey community,” said Welchin.  “Children have been involved with their school basketball teams, but this was the first year that we really wanted to get all the Indigenous children involved in our program.”

Welchin says the kids have had a lot of opportunities to play basketball this year.

“We’ve gone up to Whitehorse in the Yukon for a tournament. We’ve gone to Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories as well. It’s given the kids some experience, and now we’re heading to the nation’s largest tournament.”

What they lack in experience, they don’t in size. The First Nation’s tallest player, Talon Brown, originally from Port Simpson, stands six feet eight inches tall.

“He can dunk,” said Welchin. “We’re really excited about him.”

Welchin is also excited about the potential of point guard Linden Dickie, saying he is a “natural leader.”

The Fort Nelson First Nation Beavers open the tournament on March 18th against Lytton First Nation.