The Kaien Island Sirens made history at the 2025 All Native Basketball Tournament, winning the first-ever Women's Masters final against the Gitxsan Mystics. This victory echoes a previous triumph by Kaien Island Intertribal in 1993, the inaugural year of the women's division.
When the Kaien Island Sirens ( Prince Rupert ) and Gitxsan Mystics ( Hazelton ) took to the floor at the 2025 All Native Basketball Tournament on February 15th, history was in the making, regardless of the outcome. This wasn't just the first championship game of the 65th edition of the prestigious tournament, but also the inaugural Women's Masters final.
After 40 minutes of intense competition, a familiar echo resonated through the arena as the home team triumphed, mirroring the victory of Kaien Island Intertribal back in 1993, the inaugural year of the women's division.The game commenced at a somewhat sluggish pace with neither team finding their rhythm. By the end of the first quarter, the Sirens held a slight lead at 9-4. The second quarter witnessed a resurgence from Hazelton, who mounted a brief comeback before falling back into a scoring slump. Kaien Island dominated the boards during this period, showcasing their strength in rebounding. The first half was plagued by turnovers stemming from loose ball handling and questionable passing on both sides of the court. Prince Rupert accumulated 18 turnovers, while Hazelton had 16. Despite their dominance on the boards, the Sirens struggled to sink shots, leaving the score at 20-13 at halftime. However, a foul on Karina Wilson's attempted buzzer-beater sent her to the free throw line with three crucial shots to close the gap. Unfortunately for Hazelton, all three attempts rimmed out.Kaien Island capitalized on the momentum heading into the third quarter, applying both offensive and defensive pressure, forcing more turnovers. Although they couldn't convert these turnovers into a significant number of points, they extended their lead to 30-15 with 10 minutes remaining. The fourth quarter saw Hazelton display a glimmer of hope, momentarily reducing the lead to just seven points. However, the Sirens rallied back, securing a decisive victory with a final score of 40-22. The newly crowned champions finished their tournament run undefeated, defeating New Aiyansh, Hazelton, and Gitwinksilkw. Hazelton had to fight their way through the loser's bracket for a second chance against the home team, overcoming Kitkatla, Greenville, and Gitwinksilkw along the way.
ALL Native Basketball Tournament Women's Masters Kaien Island Sirens Gitxsan Mystics Prince Rupert Hazelton History Championship Rebounds Turnovers
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