It’s coming down to the wire in the preparation for the 2026 BC Junior All Native basketball tournament, and over 1,855 youth athletes from 129 teams are visualizing nothing but net as they pack their bags for an away tournament of a lifetime.
The Langley Events Centre will serve as the tournament’s primary venue, hosting the opening ceremonies on March 15 and the Championship Friday games on March 20. A mayhem schedule of 300 games will be played starting March 16 across nine gyms, including: RE Mountain Secondary, Langley Secondary, Walnut Grove Secondary, Peter Ewart Middle and Yorkson Creek Middle Schools.
The 2026 edition of the Junior All Native Tournament (JANT) marks the 50th anniversary of the largest Indigenous youth sports gathering in B.C. and one of the biggest basketball tournaments in Canada. It promises to be an epic production with the pro basketball team the Vancouver Bandits from the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) partnering with Kwantlen First Nation and Vancity Nation youth basketball to host.
Nicole Cardinal, also known as Aunty Nicki, is the team manager of the Vancity Nation basketball club, an organization that provides low-cost basketball opportunities for urban youth. She said one of the goals for 2026 JANT is to give the youth a sense of what it’s like to be at Provincials or to imagine themselves playing for a pro team like the Vancouver Bandits.
“This is more than just basketball,” said Cardinal. “It is a cultural thing, but it’s also a pride thing.”
She shared that her oldest daughter Kailani, 18, was able to understand the spiritual concept more when she aged up to All Native Basketball Tournament.
“She understood that there was a spirit in the game. Once you tap into your Indigenous strength, you’re able to see the spirit of ball. Once you’re in it, it’s a beautiful thing,” said Cardinal.
“Basketball is a resistance. It was one of the things that allowed us to gather. There was a time that we weren’t allowed to gather and that’s when the All Native comes in. Sport was a form of resistance. Basketball still is a form of resistance in modern times when we look at the external things youth are dealing with,” she continued.
“We know that basketball saves lives. Our youth are being targeted through various means. We know what’s at risk and we know what’s down the street from our Friendship Centre. We are not far from Main and Hastings,” said Cardinal.
Vancouver Bandits team president and 2026 JANT co-chair Dylan Kular says this is the first time a CEBL team has been involved with a youth tournament of this magnitude.
“We’re bringing our event expertise, and we have a lot of fun things planned for the youth,” said Kular.
While Kular wanted to keep the details a surprise, he was able to confirm that on Monday, March 16 the Langley Events Centre will act as a health and wellness hub for the players with various vendors providing information, free swag and there will be a free meal. March 16 is also a dedicated Media Day where individuals and teams can get professional photos.
“We want to do really well by these youth with these families travelling and spending thousands and thousands of dollars to get down here for this event. I think about that every day,” said Kular.
2026 JANT features seven age divisions: Girls U17, Boys U17, Girls U13 Gold, Boys U13 Gold, Girls U13 Silver, Boys U13 Silver, and Co-Ed U10.
Boys/Girls U17 division is a double knockout format and the U13 divisions are a round robin with a single knockout, depending on seeding after the round robin. The U10s play a round robin of three games each, with lower hoops and smaller basketballs.
“We are really excited to host the babies,” said Cardinal of the U10s. Only in its second year on the JANT program, the U10 division has 17 teams entered this year.
“Our cap (for U10) was 18. Last year, was a cap of 10 or 12. Some nations have two teams entered. We are going to playing music during their games. We’ll do a little media day for them as well. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Kular.
Games from March 16 to 19 are free of charge to fans of all ages, thanks to the generous support of JANT 2026 sponsors. Tickets to the opening ceremonies and Championship Friday are $10 for fans, except for youth 12 and under and fans 65 and over are free. Visit showpass.com for tickets. Daily schedules, scores and tournament updates can be found at https://jant.ca/or by following the official tournament social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.
There are 22 teams from Nuu-chah-nulth territory playing in 2026 JANT:
U17 BOYS
Ahousaht Eagles
Ahousaht Islanders
Hiiyitliik (Tla-o-qui-aht)
Mowachaht Bucks
Naani (Ahousaht, Tla-o-qui-aht and UFN)
NCN t̓at̓uus (Port Alberni)
U17 GIRLS
Ahousaht Storm
Maaqtusiis Lady Suns (Ahousaht)
Nootka Rebels (Mowachaht/Muchalaht)
Tseshaht Lightning
West Coast “All Heart” (Tla-o-qui-aht)
U13 GIRLS SILVER
Ahousaht Ocean Storm
Maaqtusiis Suns (Ahousaht)
Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Ravens
U13 GIRLS GOLD
Tseshaht Lightning
U13 BOYS SILVER
Junior t̓at̓uus (Port Alberni)
Tla-o-qui-aht Wolfpack
YFN Ravens (Ucluelet First Nation)
ʔÚpnit Warriors (Ahousaht)
U13 BOYS GOLD
Guardians (Ahousaht)
U10 CO-ED
Itty Bitty Ballers (Ucluelet First Nation)
Naani (Tla-o-qui-aht)
