When the Skidegate Saints and the Burnaby Chiefs square off in an All Native Basketball Tournament final, a fast, physical, and tight battle can be expected.
This year’s senior championship game was no exception.
For the Saints, it was an opportunity to even the score after Burnaby hoisted the trophy in 2024 and 2025. For Burnaby, it was a chance to rise into the rarified air of teams that have won three-in-a-row.
The first quarter saw back-and-forth scoring that put Skidegate up 18 – 16 after 10 minutes.
By contrast, the second quarter was characterized by runs, but again, it evened out, leaving the Saints with a two-point advantage going into the intermission.
It was in the third, though, that Skidegate seized the edge, putting up 18 points to the Chiefs’ 13 and taking a seven point lead into the final period.
That final 10 minutes was all offence. The always dangerous Burnaby shooting game exploded with eight three-pointers. Unfortunately for them, Skidegate’s offence was just as volatile, and it ended up putting the chiefs in foul trouble.
In addition to 19 points from the field, the Saints sank 10 of 13 from the foul line, also sinking the Chiefs’ hope of three-time glory and making the final 86-74.
With the win, the Skidegate seniors proved once again they are an enduring force at the ANBT.
Since 2012, the team has played in 11 and won nine of the 14 championships (the tournament was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID).
Back in the Haida fold for Skidegate this year was 6-foot, 7-inch Jesse Barnes, who was named tournament Most Valuable Player. That makes it five in total for Barnes, including his 2019 intermediate MVP nod (Skidegate), 2020 Senior title (Skidegate), and two with Burnaby in 2024 and 2025.
Barnes had 26 points in the final game, while four other teammates also broke double digits: Devan Boyco (18), Desi Collison (15), Tyler Jones (15), and Darcy Pearson (10).
The top scorers for Burnaby were: Tristan Keah-Tigh (24), Kole Jones (22), and Kobe McKnight (18).