Alberta Basketball's Top 12 Moments of 2025
As the calendar turns, we look back on an incredible year for Alberta Basketball
ABA holds first Grow the Game camp
In January, Alberta Basketball Association (ABA) held its first ever Grow the Game camp at Yellowhead Koinonia Christian School in Edson.
The camp was attended by 33 youth. Yellowhead Koinonia Christian School coach Colton Black partnered with ABA on the camp, and supporting coaches helped facilitate the day campers.
Through Grow the Game, ABA is reaching more players. The program is available on a year-round basis, visiting schools and communities that request camps.
Yvonne Ejim becomes Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer
On Feb. 6, ABA alumna Yvonne Ejim became the all-time scoring leader for the Gonzaga Bulldogs NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball team, breaking Heather Bowman’s record of 2,165 points.
Ejim scored her history-making 2,166th point during Gonzaga’s 69-58 victory over the Saint Mary's Gaels.
The Calgary native went on to finish her career at Gonzaga with 2,385 points. In March, she was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Women's Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. Ejim was selected by the Indiana Fever at the 2025 WNBA Draft in April.
Delaney Gibb named Big 12 Freshman of the Year
ABA alumna Delaney Gibb of the Brigham Young University Cougars women’s basketball team unanimously selected as Big 12 Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year, in March.
Gibb was also named to the All-Big 12 Second and All-Freshman teams, capping off a phenomenal first year of NCAA hoops for the Raymond native.
Among all NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball freshman, Gibb finished the 2024-25 regular season with the third highest points per game average (17.5) and sixth highest assists per game average (4.2). The guard received Big 12 Freshman of the Week honours 10 times, second most in conference history.
Nate Petrone named U Sports Player of the Year
ABA alumnus Nate Petrone of the Calgary Dinos men’s basketball team was named the 2025 recipient of the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in U Sports men’s basketball.
The Calgary native received the honour during the All-Canadian Award Ceremony in Vancouver on March 12. He had previously been named Canada West Player of the Year.
Petrone led U Sports with 484 points and was second with an average of 24.2 points per game during the 2024-25 regular season.
Calgary hosts ABA Youth Provincials
For the first time in several years, Calgary served as host of ABA Youth Provincials, the premier provincial championship for youth basketball in Alberta.
Running from March 14 to 16, Youth Provincials featured 159 teams competing in a total of 254 games, contested on a total of 17 different courts spread across 10 venues. Medals were awarded in 26 divisions, spanning the U11, U13, U15 and U15 age categories for both boys and girls.
After a tremendously successful 2025 edition, Youth Provincials is returning to Calgary in 2026.
Albertans honoured at All Canadian Games
Team Alberta alumnae Jayda Queeley and Nyadieng Yiech both took home hardware from the 2025 CWENCH All Canadian Basketball Games, which took place at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, Ont., on April 5.
Edmonton native Queeley was named MVP of Team Blue after scoring 23 points, while Yeich, who hails from Calgary, received the Girls High School Basketball Player of the Year award.
The CWENCH All Canadian Basketball Games feature the top 24 senior male and top 24 senior female Canadian high school basketball players who are either Canadian-born or enrolled in a Canadian institution.
ABA and Sun Life collaborate on community initiatives
ABA and Sun Life continued their collaborative efforts in 2025, working together on initiatives around the province.
In May, ABA supported the Sun Life and Toronto Raptors Courtside Care event at Rise Centre in Calgary, which included free health screenings and a Raptors basketball experience.
Then in October, ABA and Sun Life teamed up with Canada Basketball for the launch of Sun Life’s community basketball court at Crystal Kids Centre in Edmonton. The 3x3 court, combined with a $15,000 contribution from Sun Life to ABA, will provide athletes opportunity for year-round access to grassroots basketball programming, clinics, and community events.
Albertans represent Canada on international stage
Seven ABA alumni were part of Canadian teams that competed at international age-group championships in 2025.
The list includes: Liam Mitakaro and Ranko Rascanin (FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup); Hannah Riddick (FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup); Onyx Nnani (FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup); and Olivia Leung, Ify Nwaobi, and Nyadieng Yeich (FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup).
Additionally, ABA alumni Yvonne Ejim, Delaney Gibb and Philipina Kyei helped Canada capture bronze at the Women’s AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile, from June 28 to July 6.
Albertans help Canada win FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series in Edmonton
Albertans Kacie Bosch (Lethbridge) and Katherine Plouffe (Edmonton) helped Team Canada win the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series stop during the Hoop City 3x3 festival at West Edmonton Mall during the August long weekend.
Cheered on by their home fans, Team Canada defeated Spokane 21-15 in the final on Aug 2. Following the game, a retirement ceremony was held celebrating the incredible 3x3 career of Edmonton’s Michelle Plouffe.
Bosch was also a member of the Canadian team that captured bronze at the FIBA 3x3 Women’s World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in June.
Alberta sweeps bronze at National Championships
In August, ABA’s men’s and women’s teams both captured bronze medals at the 2025 15U Canada Basketball National Championships in Oshawa, Ont.
It was the second year in a row that Alberta has swept bronze at Nationals, a feat never before accomplished.
A quartet of ABA athletes were named National Championships all-stars: Calgary’s Mikhail Francis (men’s 1st team), Lethbridge native Neve Hirsch (women’s 1st team), and Edmontonians Haley Posteraro (women’s 2nd team) and Lucas Thomas (men’s 2nd team).
Alberta achieves historic double gold in Canada Games basketball
In August, at the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St. John’s, Team Alberta finished atop the podium in both men’s and women’s basketball.
Alberta’s women’s basketball team defended its championship from the 2022 Canada Summer Games by defeating Ontario 62-54 in the gold medal final. Alberta’s men’s basketball team then won Canada Games gold for the first time ever by beating Ontario 72-69 in the championship game.
Alberta became just the fourth contingent to sweep gold in basketball competition at a single Canada Games, joining B.C. (1989, 1997), Quebec (1993) and Ontario (2005, 2013).
ABA celebrates 50th anniversary
On Sept. 5 and 6, ABA celebrated its 50th anniversary with a pair of unforgettable events in Edmonton, drawing attendees from around the province and beyond to celebrate basketball’s rich history in Alberta.
The weekend began with the Friday Fireside event at the Westin Hotel, featuring some of the most influential and impactful figures on basketball in the province. The next night, ABA held its 50th Anniversary Gala at the Edmonton Expo Centre, headlined by keynote speaker John Stockton, the NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals, and a panel featuring members of Canada’s 2016 women’s Olympic basketball team.
ABA also announced that the inaugural Alberta Basketball Hall of Fame class will be inducted in 2026. Details will be announced over the months to come.
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