Huge Indigenous basketball tournament coming to Prince George

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“A team actually came forward and shared with us: ‘we really hope you get this bid because it will be the first time parents get to come and watch their kids play’,” McLean said.

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“I always wanted it to be in PG one year, and this is the year it finally came and I got excited that we are hosting it,” said Trees player Tezzeron Holdis.

Last year’s event brought around 1800 athletes and more than 120 teams, on top of thousands of visitors. For Holdis, he says he and his teammates can’t wait to play in Prince George in front of their families and friends.

“It’s going to give us more confidence and stuff, and it will give me a better feeling to play basketball,” Holdis said.

McLean attended JANT in Langley last year and says it was fantastic to see the energy and size of the tournament, adding it’s about a lot more than just the sport, it’s a celebration of culture and unity.

“There was a moment, it was a knockout game where the emotions were high, the energy in the stands was high, it was intense because one team was going home. At the end of that game, one of the assistant coaches brought everyone together in the circle and started singing one of their traditional songs. At that moment, the energy in the gym shifted, it quieted, and people came together. It was one of those moments where I realized: these moments like this is why we do this,” McLean said.

With thousands of visitors expected for one week, Tourism Prince George’s Executive Director Scott McWalter says that will translate into millions of dollars of economic activity.

“I actually just had a meeting with a local hotel manager this morning who said they are already full. They have over 120 rooms, and every single one of them is already sold out for a full week in March 2027. So it’s great for hotels, it’s great for our restaurants, it’s great for our shops,” McWalter said.

McWalter adds it’s always fantastic to bring these large scale events to Prince George, saying it improves the city’s reputation and creates a positive snowball effect for future opportunities.

“If you look at the Indigenous Fastpitch tournament that’s coming up in July and August of this year, there’s 80 teams. We just had the Indigenous hockey tournament last month, which brought in 50 teams, and now we have JANT 2027, which is bringing in another 120 teams. That is amazing for the visitor economy and something that we really want to lean into,” McWalter said.

McLea adds the tournament is looking for sponsors and volunteers, and if you are interested you can contact organizers through various social media pages by searching for “JANT Basketball.”