For a third consecutive year, the Similkameen Starbirds were crowned champions of the women乌鸦传媒檚 division at the All Native Basketball Tournament on Saturday.

The sm菨lqm铆x team defeated 乌鸦传媒淰ancouver乌鸦传媒檚乌鸦传媒� All My Relations 75-53 in the final matchup, earning them the championship and a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament, which was hosted in 乌鸦传媒淧rince Rupert乌鸦传媒� for its 65th year from Feb. 8 to 15.

As was the case in their other three games, pressure defence was the driving force of the Starbirds乌鸦传媒� win. Their full-court press strategy, combined with off-ball pressure and double teams, led to steals, turnovers and points throughout the game.

Rebounding, second-chance points, playmaking and clear communication were also deciding factors on offence as well.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 hard to press the whole tournament 乌鸦传媒� every game. But our defence wins us championships. We乌鸦传媒檝e proved that three times in a row,乌鸦传媒� said Jasmine Montgomery Reid, who led the game in scoring with 24 points and was named player of the game.

Montgomery Reid was also selected as the defensive player of the year in her division this year. She also made the women乌鸦传媒檚 all star team with teammate Madison Terbasket.

Starbirds player Jade Montgomery-Waardenburg was named as the most valuable player in the women乌鸦传媒檚 division for the second straight year, and Reiley Terbasket earned the Ms. Hustle award.

 乌鸦传媒淥h my gosh 乌鸦传媒� so proud of my team,乌鸦传媒� Montgomery-Waardenburg said shortly after the final buzzer sounded. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e got the championship for the third time. Three-peat 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 been in the back of our minds forever. It feels so good to win today.乌鸦传媒�

Starbirds head coach Andrew Gini praised Montogemery Reid and Montgomery-Waardenburg乌鸦传媒檚 efforts in guarding All My Relations star Shenise Sigsworth, who was limited to 12 points in the outing.

Sigsworth and teammate Zoe Collison were also named to the women乌鸦传媒檚 division乌鸦传媒檚 all star team. Sigsworth scored a total of 134 points across seven games in this year乌鸦传媒檚 tournament, earning her the highest scorer and most outstanding player awards.

乌鸦传媒淚f you give (Sigsworth) space, she can kind of pick you apart. We try to pressure her and get up on her, and make sure it乌鸦传媒檚 difficult,乌鸦传媒� said Gini. 乌鸦传媒淭hat was a great game, defensively, again.乌鸦传媒�

Gini said he was happy to help contribute to the dynasty the Similkameen women have created, especially since he had previously coached many of the players at different points in their basketball careers before joining as the team乌鸦传媒檚 head coach this year.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 not like it was on me or anything,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e won a couple of years in a row.乌鸦传媒�

For Madison, she said it felt really good to win three years in a row, and to achieve such a feat by going undefeated in this year乌鸦传媒檚 tournament.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel like being from the south, it乌鸦传媒檚 a bit harder to make a name for yourself. It乌鸦传媒檚 really nice that we乌鸦传媒檙e undisputed now,乌鸦传媒� she said.

The finals win on Feb. 15 marked Montgomery Reid乌鸦传媒檚 fifth time winning gold throughout her years playing in the tournament.

乌鸦传媒淚 went twice in a row with Bella Bella, and couldn乌鸦传媒檛 do the three-peat,乌鸦传媒� she said. So what was it that enabled the Similkameen team to pull off the three-peat?

乌鸦传媒淒efence. It乌鸦传媒檚 always defence,乌鸦传媒� Montgomery Reid said.

She said she was proud of her team, and praised the younger players for the roles that they played in helping them win.

乌鸦传媒淭hey put in some huge minutes this whole tournament,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 good to bring a championship home again.乌鸦传媒�

Montgomery Reid said it was special for her to win three in a row with Montgomery-Waardenburg and Madison as teammates, who have all been playing basketball their entire lives.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e all first cousins. We乌鸦传媒檙e all family,乌鸦传媒� said Montgomery Reid. 乌鸦传媒淚 actually played against an old teammate. We won two championships, me and her on the other team. It乌鸦传媒檚 pretty amazing that we乌鸦传媒檙e all here again. It乌鸦传媒檚 good for women乌鸦传媒檚 basketball.乌鸦传媒�

She later gifted her player of the game award to a friend who had lost a loved one, saying that she was taught from a young age to give back to those who support the team.

乌鸦传媒淚 usually give them away to Elders if you ever get them,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淧eople pay a lot of money to come up here.乌鸦传媒�

Madison and Montgomery-Waardenburg both had the same response when asked if the three-peat felt as good as they thought it would.

乌鸦传媒淚t feels even better,乌鸦传媒� they said.