Tyson Hernandez pulled off one of the most dramatic shots in NWT basketball history to deliver a 92-91 victory over Northern Alberta as the 2026 Arctic Winter Games began in Whitehorse.
With Albertans in the Porter Creek Secondary School arena already starting to celebrate, Hernandez sank a flailing hail-mary shot with 0.7 seconds remaining to seal the win.
Team NT had led for most of their opening game but Northern Alberta came back late in the fourth quarter, edging into the lead before Hernandez struck.
“That means the world. That moment felt surreal,” he said after being mobbed by team-mates.
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“Everyone was screaming, I couldn’t hear anything. In between five people, I saw the ball go through. It’s a miracle. Let’s keep this going.”
Most sports begin on Monday but a few, particularly team sports, get going on Sunday to accommodate their schedules.
Elsewhere, the NWT’s U18 male hockey team defeated Nunavut 8-1. The U16 female futsal team beat Yukon 3-0 and the U16 male team tied 3-3 with the hosts. There were victories for both the male and female curling teams versus Alaska and Yukon respectively.
The Whitehorse 2026 opening ceremony takes place on Sunday evening, involving a parade through the Yukon capital’s downtown. Team NT’s flagbearers are Reese Wainman and Kingston Torindo.
Editor’s note: The author of this article is also serving as a volunteer mission staff member for Team NT at the Games.
