PHOENIX, Ariz. - It was not a good day for three area basketball teams competing at a national tournament in Arizona.
The South Dakota BBall Divas, Same Day Express II and the Lakota/Dakota Sioux were eliminated from the tournament after dropping games Thursday in the bracket portion of the sixth annual Native American Basketball Invitational tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. The single-elimination bracket tournament concludes with the championship games today on both the boys and girls sides of the tournament.
The No. 12 seed Divas, from Pine Ridge, were eliminated from the girls tournament after dropping a 69-65 decision to fifth-seeded e-LEMON-ators, from Shiprock, N.M.
Same Day Express II, a No. 14 seed from Porcupine, fell 82-77 to Klamath Nation, from Chiloquin, Ore., on Thursday in a first-round matchup.
The lone area South Dakota team to post a win was Same Day Express I, which knocked off Kiowa Motion, 86-74, on Friday in a second-round contest. The Express I, a No. 5 seed from Porcupine, is scheduled to face either the Salt River Warriors or Kiowa Motion on Friday in a second-round contest. The Express I were scheduled to face Montana's Finest on Friday in a quarterfinal contest.
No. 4 seed Lakota/Dakota Sioux, from McLaughin, fell 80-72 to 13th seeded White Swan, from White Swan, Wash., on Thursday in a second-round matchup. The Sioux had earned a first-round bye.
The South Dakota teams were among 80 boys and girls teams that began play at the annual event. Started in 2003 with 24 boys and girls teams from Arizona, NABI has blossomed into an 80-team event with championship games. The NABI is the largest all native basketball tournament in North America, dedicated to serving Native American high school youth. It is the first Native American tournament to be certified by the NCAA and takes place annually in Phoenix, Ariz.
