Anna Atleo from Ahousaht will become the first Nuu-chah-nulth player, man or woman, to be inducted into the All Native Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame.
The annual tournament begins this Saturday, Feb. 8 in Prince Rupert, B.C., running until Feb. 15.
“I lived and breathed this tournament for many years of my life. It’s an honour to be recognized in this way,” said Atleo.
Her contributions to the Haisla Nation team in 2000 helped them win a championship title and earned her the MVP award. In 2012 and 2013 she ran with Nanaimo’s Snuneymuxw team on their way to ANBT victory. She was also named tournament Allstar in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
“Anna was a well-rounded player who encouraged and helped teammates be better every game. She was a respected player who played hard with grace and much respect towards her opposition,” said the ANBT committee in a written statement.
Atleo, a mother of two young women, remembers the good old days of basketball when games were recorded on VHS or DVD. Her first ANBT was in 1999.
“Back then they had a ‘ringer rule’ where each village team was allowed to do a pick-up. They had a pick-up rule, so you were allowed a plus one. I engaged with my girlfriend Fiona Edgar from Bella Coola and I was able to play for Nuxalk Nation my first year. We won one and lost two,” Atleo recalls.
Her eldest daughter Janessa, 26, was two when Atleo won her first MVP and ANBT Championship.
“The one thing that I love about this tournament is making friends and friends that become family over the years. The atmosphere of that basketball tournament is amazing,” she said.
Atleo will travel to Prince Rupert and the traditional territory of the Coast Ts’msyen People to accept the Hall of Fame honour in person. She has been invited by tournament organizers to announce some of the games.
With 63 teams entered over five divisions, the All Native Basketball Tournament is one the largest basketball tournaments in B.C. The Hesquiaht Descendants, who are the only team from Vancouver Island in the tournament, play their first game on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.
