When the Kaien Island Sirens entered the 2026 All Native Basketball Tournament, they were the only team to have ever won the Women’s Masters Division, inaugurated last season.
They still hold that distinction following a barn burner of a finale against the Gitxsan Mystics in the Russ Gamble Gymnasium at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre on Feb. 21.
The final got off to a sluggish start, with neither team able to really get anything going despite multiple scoring opportunities.
A couple of big plays, the first a long two by Kirsten Helin and the second a steal and breakaway basket by Belinda Waldhaus, looked like it might give the team from Prince Rupert a spark, but Gitxsan had an answer for both of those and would take the lead 9-6 as the first quarter wound down.
A late Sirens flurry of six points at the end of the first quarter and an early basket in the second gave the defending champions their biggest lead of the game, 14-9.
It was short-lived, though, as Gitxsan clawed back a couple of baskets, bringing them back to within one. Gritty play under the Kaien Island net put Gitxsan’s tall centre Brittany Simpson on the free throw line. She was good on both, giving the team from Hazelton back the lead, 15-14.
At halftime, it was 18-16 in favour of Gitxsan.
The third quarter can only be described as a defensive duel, with only eight total points scored, six for Prince Rupert and just two for Hazelton.
In the last 10 minutes, though, things really heated up as both teams found another gear. The Sirens kept the edge for the first part of the period, but the Mystics also started finding the hoop and took the lead 28-26 with under three minutes remaining.
But after Prince Rupert tied it up at 28, Natalie Harris stole off the inbound and was good with a lay-up for a 30-28 lead. With the lead at just two, a jump ball at 50 seconds gave possession to the Mystics. They were unable to capitalize, but a foul on the play gave Hazelton’s Carlene Wright a chance to tie with two foul shots. The first went off the rim, but the second brought Hazelton back to within one.
Gitxsan pressed again, but a controversial no-call gave the ball back to Kaien Island with just 17 seconds to go. Hazelton did what they had to do with a hard foul on Cary-Lynn Cochrane, but the Sirens retained possession and were able to run out the clock for the 30-29 win.
As in last year’s inaugural season of the Women’s Masters Division, Kaien Island took the undefeated route to the final defeating Kispiox, Kitamaat, and Gitxsan along the way.
After losing to the Sirens in the winners’ bracket, the Mystics had to fight their way through a semi-final against Vancouver for their berth in the championship game.
Prince Rupert’s Tricia Helin was named the most valuable player, a distinction she has earned before in the regular women’s division.
Hazelton was named the most sportsmanlike team, and Brittany Simpson took home honours as the Most Outstanding Player and High Scorer.