The Bedford Road Invitational Tournament (BRIT) is a boy's high school basketball tournaments in Canada. It takes place every January at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The current format has 12 schools take part in the tournament. Some notable alumni of BRIT include Martin Riley, Brent Charleton, Karl Tilleman, John Hatch, Byron Tokarchuk, Eric Mobley, and Robert Sacre.[citation needed]
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Basketball |
| Location | Saskatoon |
| Month played | February |
| Established | 1968 |
| Host(s) | Bedford Road Collegiate - SPS |
| Venue | Bedford Road Gymnasium |
| Champions | (54th title) |
| Current champion | |
| Walter Murray Collegiate | |
History
editThe Bedford Road Invitational Tournament, held annually at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is one of Canada's most prestigious high school basketball tournaments.[citation needed] Founded in 1968, BRIT originally featured only local Saskatoon high schools before expanding to include teams from across Saskatchewan and beyond.
Expansion and national reach
editIn 1969, schools from Regina and Weyburn were invited, turning the tournament into a province-wide event. By 1972, out-of-province teams such as Sisler High School from Winnipeg and Calgary's E.P. Scarlett began competing, marking BRIT's transformation into a national tournament.[citation needed]
In 1975, the tournament moved from December to its now-traditional January slot.[citation needed] Over the late 1970s and early 1980s, teams from British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec began participating regularly.[1][failed verification]
International participation
editBRIT became an international event in 1988 when the New York Gauchos participated. The Gauchos not only entered the tournament but also became the first foreign team to win the championship.[2] In 2004, the tournament welcomed its first non-North American team, The Scots College from Sydney, Australia.[citation needed]
Recent developments
editThe 2021 tournament was canceled for the first time in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] The tournament resumed in 2023, with the Walter Murray Marauders winning the BRIT54 Championship, defeating city rivals Holy Cross in an all-Saskatoon final.[4]
Champions
edit| Year | School | City | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Bedford Road Collegiate | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 1969 | Sheldon-Williams Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 1970 | Sheldon-Williams Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 1971 | Mount Royal Collegiate | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 1972 | Sisler High School | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
| 1973 | Sheldon-Williams Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 1975 | Sheldon-Williams Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 1976 | Sheldon-Williams Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 1977 | Burnaby South Secondary School | Burnaby | British Columbia |
| 1978 | Sir Winston Churchill High School | Calgary | Alberta |
| 1979 | Mennonite Educational Institute | Clearbrook | British Columbia |
| 1980 | Mennonite Educational Institute | Clearbrook | British Columbia |
| 1981 | Bell High School | Ottawa | Ontario |
| 1982 | Bell High School | Ottawa | Ontario |
| 1983 | St. Pius X High School | Ottawa | Ontario |
| 1984 | Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School | Calgary | Alberta |
| 1985 | M.E. LaZerte High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 1986 | M.E. LaZerte High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 1987 | Kelvin High School | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
| 1988 | New York Gauchos (an Amateur Athletic Union club rather than a high school team) | New York | New York |
| 1989 | Windsor Park Collegiate | Winnipeg | Manitoba |
| 1990 | Walter Murray Collegiate | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 1991 | Harry Ainlay Composite High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 1992 | Harry Ainlay Composite High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 1993 | Nepean High School | Ottawa | Ontario |
| 1994 | Pitt Meadows Secondary School | Pitt Meadows | British Columbia |
| 1995 | Bishop Carroll High School | Calgary | Alberta |
| 1996 | M.E. LaZerte High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 1997 | Holy Cross High School | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 1998 | Carson Graham Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 1999 | Balfour Collegiate | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 2000 | Ross Sheppard High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 2001 | Ross Sheppard High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 2002 | Lester B. Pearson High School | Calgary | Alberta |
| 2003 | Holy Cross High School | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 2004 | Holy Cross High School | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
| 2005 | Handsworth Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2006 | Handsworth Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2007 | Handsworth Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2008 | Vancouver College | Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2009 | Vancouver College | Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2010 | Pitt Meadows Secondary School | Pitt Meadows | British Columbia |
| 2011 | St. George's School | Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2012 | The Scots College | Sydney | New South Wales |
| 2013 | Calgary Sir Winston Churchill | Calgary | Alberta |
| 2014 | Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 2015 | Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School | Regina | Saskatchewan |
| 2016 | Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 2017 | St. Francis Xavier High School | Edmonton | Alberta |
| 2018 | Handsworth Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2019 | Bishop McNally High School | Calgary | Alberta |
| 2020 | Handsworth Secondary School | North Vancouver | British Columbia |
| 2021 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 | ||
| 2022 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 | ||
| 2023 | Raymond High School) | Raymond | Alberta |
| 2024 | Walter Murray Collegiate | Saskatoon | Saskatchewan |
Notable Moments
editThe 1988 BRIT, won by the New York Gauchos, is remembered as a turning point in the tournament's history. The Gauchos dominated the competition, earning a reputation as one of the strongest teams to ever participate.[2]
In 2024, the 54th BRIT final featured two Saskatoon teams for only the third time in the tournament's history. The Walter Murray Marauders, led by Coach Scott Hawley, emerged victorious, and his son, Zach Hawley, was named the tournament MVP.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Bedford Road Invitational Tournament - SSHoF". Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ a b "'Everyone was playing for second place': An oral history of the New York Gauchos at BRIT 1988". The StarPhoenix. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ "Bedford Road Invitational Tournament cancelled for first time in 53-year history". CKOM. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ "Saskatoon father and son basketball legacy shines in triumphant BRIT final". CTV News. 17 January 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ "BRIT 54 final features two Saskatoon teams for first time in 53 years". The StarPhoenix. Retrieved September 26, 2024.