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.

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. 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. The tournament resumed in 2023, with the Walter Murray Marauders winning the BRIT54 Championship, defeating city rivals Holy Cross in an all-Saskatoon final.

Champions

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.