Saskatoon’s post-holiday sports tradition is back for a 51st year.
The first basketball game of the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament (BRIT) tips off at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, with the host Bedford Road Redhawks taking on the Harry Ainlay Titans.
Countless players have had a chance to play for a packed house over the decades, but most only get their first taste of the tournament in Grade 10.
Mason Dirham, a Grade 12 guard for the St. Joseph’s Guardians, is one of the few who first got on the court back when he was in Grade 9.
“It was just a rush of emotions almost, it was just nuts. Just the craziest feeling you could ever feel,” he said.
Dirham said the jitters have subsided ahead of his fourth opportunity to play in the tournament.
“(A) couple years ago I was thinking ‘oh, it’s coming up, what am I going to do?’ But this year I’m more comfortable, I feel I’m more of a leader this year, so it’s different I guess.”
Teams from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia are all taking part in this year’s BRIT, which runs Jan. 10-12.
Information on tickets and live streaming of games can be found on the tournament website.
—With files from 650 CKOM’s Keenan Sorokan