RAPID CITY - Part basketball tournament and part cultural celebration, for many of the teams competing in this year's Lakota Nation Invitational it will rank up there with any tournament they'll play in all season. Not only because the crowd and the games are just as intense, but also because the tournament offers cultural aspects as well.
The LNI's atmosphere is something that coaches, players and fans all revel in, with events happening daily such as an art show, Hand Games, storytelling competition, student dance, Lakota language bowl and a Pow Wow. It allows people the chance to cross the cultural atmosphere with high quality basketball.
"It is a great tourney because of girls' and boys' basketball, but also because of all the other activities that are going on for students," said White River coach Eldon Marshall. "It allows people to see the Lakota culture, and it will help them understand it better."
The tournament will be highlighted by both the championship games Saturday - at 7 p.m. for the girls and 8:30 p.m. for the boys - as well as the Grand Entry, which will be Friday night, when tribal chiefs and ceremonial dancers dress in headdresses, leather pants and bone vests as they lead the athletes in a colorful procession around the court before the semifinals.
"The pageantry is something that makes the LNI unique," said Pine Ridge head coach Bill Pourier, "I don't think that aspect of the tournament can be matched anywhere else in the country. Players get a chance to interact with other kids and build relationships that can last for the rest of their lives."
"The LNI is one of the biggest tournaments of the year," said Marshall. "We're very fortunate to be a part of it. Bryan Brewer and the LNI board do an excellent job putting on the tournament. You learn how to compete but at the same time there are number of other cultural activities that are a big part of the tournament."
The LNI acts as an early test for the teams, an opportunity to see their competition in a high pressure-atmosphere long before the state tournament comes around. This year, 32 boys' and girls' teams will compete and organizers say about 4,000 to 5,000 people will attend games and events at the civic center each day.
"It is an incredibly competitive tournament and a great gauge for how we stack up to these other very good teams," said Lower Brule head coach Jeff Neuharth. "It is a great atmosphere for our kids, it is a lot fun to play in a big venue where there is a lot of fans."
The 32nd annual LNI begins Wednesday with games starting at 10 a.m. and continuing through Saturday.
