Bedford Road Invitational Tournament Explained

Bedford Road Invitational Tournament
Sport:Basketball
Location:Saskatoon
Month Played:February
Established:1968
Host:Bedford Road Collegiate - SPS
Venue:Bedford Road Gymnasium
Num Championships:54
Current Champion:Walter Murray Collegiate

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.

History

The Bedford Road Invitational Tournament, held annually at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is one of Canada's most prestigious high school basketball tournaments. 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

In 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.

In 1975, the tournament moved from December to its now-traditional January slot. Over the late 1970s and early 1980s, teams from British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec began participating regularly.[1]

International participation

BRIT 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.

Recent developments

The 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

YearSchoolCityProvince
1968Bedford Road CollegiateSaskatoonSaskatchewan
1969Sheldon-Williams CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
1970Sheldon-Williams CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
1971Mount Royal CollegiateSaskatoonSaskatchewan
1972Sisler High SchoolWinnipegManitoba
1973Sheldon-Williams CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
1975Sheldon-Williams CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
1976Sheldon-Williams CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
1977BurnabyBritish Columbia
1978Sir Winston Churchill High SchoolCalgaryAlberta
1979Mennonite Educational InstituteClearbrookBritish Columbia
1980Mennonite Educational InstituteClearbrookBritish Columbia
1981Bell High SchoolOttawaOntario
1982Bell High SchoolOttawaOntario
1983St. Pius X High SchoolOttawaOntario
1984Dr. E.P. Scarlett High SchoolCalgaryAlberta
1985M.E. LaZerte High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
1986M.E. LaZerte High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
1987Kelvin High SchoolWinnipegManitoba
1988New York Gauchos (an Amateur Athletic Union club rather than a high school team)New YorkNew York
1989Windsor Park CollegiateWinnipegManitoba
1990Walter Murray CollegiateSaskatoonSaskatchewan
1991Harry Ainlay Composite High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
1992Harry Ainlay Composite High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
1993Nepean High SchoolOttawaOntario
1994Pitt Meadows Secondary SchoolPitt MeadowsBritish Columbia
1995Bishop Carroll High SchoolCalgaryAlberta
1996M.E. LaZerte High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
1997Holy Cross High SchoolSaskatoonSaskatchewan
1998Carson Graham Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
1999Balfour CollegiateReginaSaskatchewan
2000Ross Sheppard High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
2001Ross Sheppard High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
2002Lester B. Pearson High SchoolCalgaryAlberta
2003Holy Cross High SchoolSaskatoonSaskatchewan
2004Holy Cross High School SaskatoonSaskatchewan
2005Handsworth Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
2006Handsworth Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
2007Handsworth Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
2008Vancouver CollegeVancouverBritish Columbia
2009Vancouver CollegeVancouverBritish Columbia
2010Pitt Meadows Secondary SchoolPitt MeadowsBritish Columbia
2011St. George's SchoolVancouverBritish Columbia
2012The Scots CollegeSydneyNew South Wales
2013Calgary Sir Winston ChurchillCalgaryAlberta
2014Dr. Martin LeBoldus High SchoolReginaSaskatchewan
2015Dr. Martin LeBoldus High SchoolReginaSaskatchewan
2016Archbishop O'Leary Catholic High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
2017St. Francis Xavier High SchoolEdmontonAlberta
2018Handsworth Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
2019Bishop McNally High SchoolCalgaryAlberta
2020Handsworth Secondary SchoolNorth VancouverBritish Columbia
2021Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022Cancelled due to COVID-19
2023Raymond High School)RaymondAlberta
2024Walter Murray CollegiateSaskatoonSaskatchewan

Notable Moments

The 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.

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

  1. Web site: Bedford Road Invitational Tournament - SSHoF. September 26, 2024.
  2. Web site: 'Everyone was playing for second place': An oral history of the New York Gauchos at BRIT 1988. The StarPhoenix. September 26, 2024.
  3. Web site: Bedford Road Invitational Tournament cancelled for first time in 53-year history. CKOM. September 26, 2024.
  4. Web site: Saskatoon father and son basketball legacy shines in triumphant BRIT final. 17 January 2024 . CTV News. September 26, 2024.
  5. Web site: BRIT 54 final features two Saskatoon teams for first time in 53 years . September 26, 2024 . The StarPhoenix.