The 2025 B.C. Junior All Native Tournament (JANT) and Spring Basketball Fest is underway in Kelowna, B.C. this week and 19 teams from Nuu-chah-nulth territory are on the schedule, ready to shine on the courts.
Tseshaht First Nation based in the Alberni Valley has five teams in JANT this year: Lightning U13 girls (coached by Ed Ross, Len Watts and Memphis Dick), Pride U17 girls (coached by Joe Charleson Jr.), ťaťuus U13 boys (coached by Oswald Felsman IV and Mercedes Brown), Hupał U17 boys (coached by Shane Sieber) and U10 Tatuus.
Tseshaht Lightning started fundraising for JANT last May. Coach Nasimius Ross (Ed Ross) says the cost to travel with one team for a week of JANT is between $15,000 to $20,000 and close to $100,000 to send all five teams.
“The fundraising has been tireless. We had a huge cost this year with the girls growing up, they grew out of all their uniforms, so we had to get new uniforms this year,” said Ross.
“My nation stepped up this year, but it’s been a long time coming. The teams are getting stronger and they are getting younger. They are developing at a younger age,” he continued, adding that sending five Tseshaht teams in JANT this year was huge for his nation.
“When my daughter first started, we didn’t have any teams. She had to join Hesquiaht. Hesquiaht picked her up and she developed and played with them and been loyal to them,” said Ross.
Now, his daughter, Memphis, is the assistant coach of the Tseshaht Lighting and coaches her three little sisters Mia, Innisa and Parris.
Tseshaht Lighting play their first game of the U13 Girls Gold round robin on Monday, March 17 at 5:50 p.m. Their next game is on Tuesday, March 18 at 10:50 a.m. followed by two games on Wednesday, March 19 at 2:20 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
“If we’re in the top, then we go into the tournament bracket on Thursday,” said Ross.
Right before hitting the road, all the Port Alberni teams joined forces for a last-minute community spaghetti dinner fundraiser and 50/50 draw at Maht Mahs.
“We want to share our strengths and lift them up,” said Ross. “Basketball brings everybody together and I think that’s why sports are so supported, it’s because it’s the closest thing that we have to potlatches. There aren’t a lot of potlatches anymore and sports brings us together. It’s ingrained in our DNA to be together and to help each other.”
Ross went on to note that the Tseshaht Lighting will once again host an open basketball tournament on May Long this year.
JANT 2025 is hosted by the Syilx Basketball and the Syilx Nation. It is one of Canada’s largest basketball tournaments with over 113 teams participating. The tournament wraps on Friday, March 21 with the awards ceremony.
To watch live streams from all seven venues, visit https://www.cfnrfm.ca/jant/.
For the official tournament schedule, visit: https://jant.ca/schedules/.
Nuu-chah-nulth team at JANT 2025 are:
17U Girls
Tla-o-qui-aht Thunderbirds
Maaqtusiis Lady Suns
Tseshaht Pride
Nootka Rebels
17U Boys
Ahousaht Warriors
Mowachaht Bucks
Tla-o-qui-aht Warriors
Nuu-chah-nulth hupał
Ahousaht Eagles
13UGirls GOLD
Tseshaht Lightning
13U Boys GOLD
Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tatuus
Ahousaht Guardians
13U Girls SILVER
Ahousaht Ocean Storm
Maaqtusiis Suns
Nitinat Dašuk
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Ravens
ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ łučmuup
13U Boys SILVER
ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ Wolfpack
10U CO-ED
Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tatuus
Hitacu Itty Bitty Ballers