Luther Invitational Basketball Tournament kicks off in Regina

16 teams from Western Canada make their way to Regina to compete at Luther College High School in the student-run basketball tournament.

The 72nd annual Luther Invitational Basketball Tournament (LIT) is set to begin Thursday in Regina.

Eight boys and eight girls teams from across Western Canada will compete for the title of LIT champions.

Nearly all students at Luther College High School are involved in organizing or supporting the event, with many creating artwork that celebrates the tournament’s traditions. Honoring these traditions is a core part of Luther’s culture.

The 2006 Luther Lions boys team, winners of the tournament that year, will be guests of honour this year, highlighting the event’s ongoing legacy.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

“Bringing back special guests like the winners of the tournament is really important because, for Luther itself, and the LIT tradition, it’s really big.,” said Annabel Bast, Girls Basketball Team Captain & LIT media relations committee member.

“In our gymnasium, it says ‘Keeping the Tradition’. I think that bringing back people who hold the Luther values in them is really, really important to the values of the tournament, and the values of the school as well.”

This year’s theme is ‘Global Jam,’ symbolizing how basketball has truly become a global sport since being invented by a Canadian 135 years ago.

The tournament runs Feb. 5-7.