For a third consecutive year, the Similkameen Starbirds were crowned champions of the women鈥檚 division at the All Native Basketball Tournament on Saturday.
The sm菨lqm铆x team defeated 鈥淰ancouver鈥檚鈥� All My Relations 75-53 in the final matchup, earning them the championship and a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament, which was hosted in 鈥淧rince Rupert鈥� for its 65th year from Feb. 8 to 15.
As was the case in their other three games, pressure defence was the driving force of the Starbirds鈥� win. Their full-court press strategy, combined with off-ball pressure and double teams, led to steals, turnovers and points throughout the game.
Rebounding, second-chance points, playmaking and clear communication were also deciding factors on offence as well.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to press the whole tournament 鈥� every game. But our defence wins us championships. We鈥檝e proved that three times in a row,鈥� said Jasmine Montgomery Reid, who led the game in scoring with 24 points and was named player of the game.
Montgomery Reid was also selected as the defensive player of the year in her division this year. She also made the women鈥檚 all star team with teammate Madison Terbasket.
Starbirds player Jade Montgomery-Waardenburg was named as the most valuable player in the women鈥檚 division for the second straight year, and Reiley Terbasket earned the Ms. Hustle award.
鈥淥h my gosh 鈥� so proud of my team,鈥� Montgomery-Waardenburg said shortly after the final buzzer sounded. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got the championship for the third time. Three-peat 鈥� it鈥檚 been in the back of our minds forever. It feels so good to win today.鈥�
Starbirds head coach Andrew Gini praised Montogemery Reid and Montgomery-Waardenburg鈥檚 efforts in guarding All My Relations star Shenise Sigsworth, who was limited to 12 points in the outing.
Sigsworth and teammate Zoe Collison were also named to the women鈥檚 division鈥檚 all star team. Sigsworth scored a total of 134 points across seven games in this year鈥檚 tournament, earning her the highest scorer and most outstanding player awards.
鈥淚f you give (Sigsworth) space, she can kind of pick you apart. We try to pressure her and get up on her, and make sure it鈥檚 difficult,鈥� said Gini. 鈥淭hat was a great game, defensively, again.鈥�
Gini said he was happy to help contribute to the dynasty the Similkameen women have created, especially since he had previously coached many of the players at different points in their basketball careers before joining as the team鈥檚 head coach this year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not like it was on me or anything,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e won a couple of years in a row.鈥�
For Madison, she said it felt really good to win three years in a row, and to achieve such a feat by going undefeated in this year鈥檚 tournament.
鈥淚 feel like being from the south, it鈥檚 a bit harder to make a name for yourself. It鈥檚 really nice that we鈥檙e undisputed now,鈥� she said.
The finals win on Feb. 15 marked Montgomery Reid鈥檚 fifth time winning gold throughout her years playing in the tournament.
鈥淚 went twice in a row with Bella Bella, and couldn鈥檛 do the three-peat,鈥� she said. So what was it that enabled the Similkameen team to pull off the three-peat?
鈥淒efence. It鈥檚 always defence,鈥� Montgomery Reid said.
She said she was proud of her team, and praised the younger players for the roles that they played in helping them win.
鈥淭hey put in some huge minutes this whole tournament,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to bring a championship home again.鈥�
Montgomery Reid said it was special for her to win three in a row with Montgomery-Waardenburg and Madison as teammates, who have all been playing basketball their entire lives.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all first cousins. We鈥檙e all family,鈥� said Montgomery Reid. 鈥淚 actually played against an old teammate. We won two championships, me and her on the other team. It鈥檚 pretty amazing that we鈥檙e all here again. It鈥檚 good for women鈥檚 basketball.鈥�
She later gifted her player of the game award to a friend who had lost a loved one, saying that she was taught from a young age to give back to those who support the team.
鈥淚 usually give them away to Elders if you ever get them,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople pay a lot of money to come up here.鈥�
Madison and Montgomery-Waardenburg both had the same response when asked if the three-peat felt as good as they thought it would.
鈥淚t feels even better,鈥� they said.
