LNI back for 45th annual tournament

Kul Wicasa’s 5-11 junior guard Gavin Thigh drives here against White River’s Kendrell Cuevas but it was Thigh’s lockdown defense that would earn him defensive MVP honors at LNI.

Photos by Michele Davies

RAPID CITY—Last year, was the first post COVID LNI, but many people wore masks, and people had taken the jab, which was understandable because COVID impact was many magnitudes worse among the tribes than the general population. A year later, the field for the 45^th Lakota Nation invitational is set, masks have become the exception rather than the rule, and it looks like the tournament will return to its traditional atmosphere.

It is estimated that the LNI brings as much as $5 million into the local economy, and each year it becomes a more integral part of Rapid City tradition.

Two growing changes at LNI, have been the expansion of teams, and the inclusion of non-Native schools: Custer, Wall and Rapid City Christian. Custer has been a part of LNI from the get-go, and under legendary Coach Larry Luitjens, they were the first non-Native team to enthusiastically and frequently compete against Native teams, which mattered, because during Luitjens time at Custer he built the most powerful Class B program in the state, and would retire the winningest coach in state history. The Boys played .500 ball last year. They return a very young team this year, with only two juniors and no seniors on the roster. The Lady Wildcats played 14-11 ball last year. This year they have four seniors, four juniors and four freshmen and appear to be better than a year ago.

Wall’s inclusion makes sense given the recurring number of enrolled tribal members on their roster. The Boys were 13-9 last year, and with only two seniors on the roster, will struggle to equal that record. The Girls are coming off a 21-5 record and also have two returning seniors.

The Rapid City Christian Boys have come close to making the state tournament the past two seasons. Coach Kyle Courtney’s teams are known for their grit and hustle. They are seeded six in the tournament and will open up against 11 seeded Crow Creek. Sometimes teams play jamboree exhibitions. These games never used to be scored, as they were just training exercises for officials, but the jamboree between Christian and number one LNI seed White River was scored.

“We were tight with them at halftime,” Courtney said of the White River exhibition. “I think we lost by 12 or 13.”

Courtney credits Ted Standing Soldier, Lady Comets assistant coach, and Paul Anderson, a former Custer coach, to “help forge” the opportunity to get Christian into the LNI.

The Lady Comets are piloted by Joe Kieffer and they look to be a pretty tough team. They have some good Native talent in freshman guard Hayden Thornton and senior Savannah Armendariz. Their top players are center Alexa Hamm and senior guard and team captain Olivia Kieffer, who will be one of the top performers in the LNI tournament.

As far as the rest of the field goes for Boys and Girls, it’s the usual suspects in the top spots. Last year Lower Brule beat White River, 60-57, in triple OT, to win the Boys crown. This year White River is the top seed, and Lower Brule, two. Other teams to watch are Red Cloud and a constantly evolving and improving Lakota Tech team. Tech is a serious dark horse to win it all.

In the Girls bracket, Lakota Tech sits at the top under Head Coach Laura Big Crow. Shayla Bravo seems like she has been around forever, but is now a senior, and she makes the Lady Tatanka go, but she has lots of help, as Tech is a very deep team. Red Cloud is the number two seed, veteran Matt Rama at the helm, assisted by the very capable Amanda Carlow. This team has a core of talented seniors and if they meet Tech in the final, it will be worth the price of admission. Last year the Lady Crusaders met Tech in the final, and won 72-65 in OT.

LNI has expended over the years well beyond basketball. The 26^th Annual Wrestling Tournament will get underway at 9 am, on Tuesday, December 13. On Wednesday the little B schools have their challenge basketball games at the Barnett Arena. The Girls start at the Ice Arena. The Boys start at the Summit Arena. The language Bowl starts at 9 am. The Oglala Sioux Tribal Credit and Finance program, coordinated by Courtney two lance, puts on the Business Plan competition starting at 8 am. The Chess Tournament starts at 9 am. Later comes the Hand games and the Knowledge Bowl.

On Thursday it is Cancer Awareness or Pink Day. The Poetry Slam gets underway at 11 am.

On Friday wear red to honor missing and murdering indigenous people. There will be archery shooting at Rushmore north at 9 am. At 5 pm will be the honoring and Grand Entry. On Saturday all the competitions have their championships.

(Contact James Giago Davies at skindiesel@msn.com)

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