The Bedford Road Invitational Tournament, a cornerstone of Saskatoon's sporting community, is celebrating a significant milestone this weekend. The iconic BRIT event is hosting its 56th consecutive edition, bringing together top high school basketball talent from across the province and beyond.
Historical Records and Notable Appearances
This year's tournament field is rich with history. Holy Cross is making its 53rd appearance at BRIT, a record for any school besides the host, Bedford Road. The Crusaders have been a fixture since 1990, showcasing remarkable consistency. From out of province, North Vancouver's Carson Graham squad is tying a record with its 13th trip to Saskatoon, matching the total of Edmonton's Harry Ainlay for the most visits by an out-of-province team.
Among city schools, St. Joseph is participating for the 10th time. It currently trails several local institutions in total appearances, including Bedford Road, Holy Cross, Aden Bowman, Evan Hardy, Mount Royal, and Bishop Mahoney.
Championship Trends and Unbreakable Streaks
The tournament's schedule reveals a fascinating competitive edge. Statistics show that the team playing the earlier of the two Saturday semifinals holds an approximate .600 winning percentage in the gold medal game. The extra 90 minutes of rest before the 9 p.m. championship tip-off is often cited as a crucial factor, potentially worth a decisive basket or two.
One record remains unblemished: no school has ever lost three consecutive BRIT finals. Seven teams have suffered back-to-back championship game defeats, including Holy Cross in both 1985-86 and, most recently, in 2024 and 2025. Bedford Road itself fell short in 1970 and 1971.
Travel Tales and Program Predictions
The geographic reach of BRIT is impressive. This year, the Prince Albert Carlton Crusaders are making the roughly 141-kilometre trip from Prince Albert, a journey they also made in 2023. However, the distance record is held by the Scots College Lions from Sydney, Australia, who traveled approximately 13,600 kilometres for appearances in 2004, 2007, 2012, and 2015. Notably, the 2012 Lions chose BRIT over competing in their own national championships and won the tournament title.
A quirky tradition lives on in the tournament program. Predictions first appeared under the name "Nick the Greek" in 1973. By 1995, the prognosticator was renamed "Nick (the Person of No Discernible Ethnic Background or Gender)," and the feature is now known as "Nick's Picks." For the 2026 final, Nick is forecasting a victory for Holy Cross over the Winnipeg Dakota Lancers.
This year also marks a long-awaited debut. The Winnipeg Dakota Lancers are finally competing at BRIT, 46 years after a last-minute withdrawal in 1980. On that occasion, the top-ranked Winnipeg team pulled out one day before tip-off after four starters were injured in five days. The Winnipeg Westwood Warriors stepped in on hours' notice and went on to beat the host Bedford Road team in the third-place final.
