Mahpiya Luta reigns supreme at 2025 LNI

RAPID CITY—Whether they won by blowout or nail-biter, the Mahpiya Luta Crusaders had the formula to hoist both championship trophies after the final buzzer. Girls Head Coach Matt Rama has established himself as one of the finest coaching minds in state history, and Athletic Director and Boys Head Coach Christian McGhee continues to be a stabilizing presence in one of the toughest environments to build and maintain a championship program.

The Lady Crusaders breezed through the opening rounds, until steamrolling Lakota Tech in the final, 65-34. The Boys squad were like a prize fighter battered and knocked down in the opening half of the fight, only to get up and take it to a gifted and determined Cheyenne-Eagle Butte squad, beating them in a double overtime thriller, 76-74.

Mahipya Luta 65, Lakota Tech 34

Six years ago, Matt Rama took over as head coach of the Lady Crusaders. He opened the season at Hill City and his girls were winning handily, but collapsed in the second half, and Hill City won. Inside the post-game locker room, Rama read them the riot act. The wheels had come off, and for the rest of that season they stayed off. Matt Rama was Athletic Director Christian McGhee’s former coach, and outsiders might think hiring Rama was a favor to his mentor. How wrong they would be. It took a year for the girls to adjust to Rama’s fiery coaching style. But once they did, once Rama had his system in place, and the girls had bought into that system, he could have bottled and sold that team chemistry and become a millionaire.

Mahpiya Luta won four LNI titles in a row and then a fifth. Such program dominance had never been seen at LNI and only hinted at by the Custer and Winnebago Boys in the past. Larry Luitjens and Jeff Berridge are two coaching legends, but Rama has proven every bit their equal.

Mahpiya Luta normally steamrolls opposition from the get, veterans Ashlan Carlow-Blount, Shania Ferguson, and Mya Mills hit the court running. Head Coach Laura Big Crow knew this but once the Lady Crusaders get the bit between their teeth, it didn’t matter if Lakota Tech knew it. The first quarter ended with Mahpiya Luta in front, 28-6.

Big Crow has two daughters on her team, 5-5 Eighth Grader Amelia Shangreaux, and 5-7 Junior Isabella Shangreaux, and along with 5-8 Junior Lizzie Robinson, co team captain, they form a solid core for future success. Robinson led the team with 6 rebounds, Isabella with 8 points, but the problem for Tech was turnovers, and turnovers spread over the course of the game are not as hurtful, but the swarming pressure from Mahpiya Luta produced devastating batches of turnovers. These turnover batches killed any chance the Lady Tatanka had of a comeback. By halftime they led, 47-33. By the end of the third, they led 59-28, and the running clock kicked in.

Well, the running clock started late, and it inexplicably stopped several times during play, but because the game was a blowout, it did not impact outcome. Had the game become close, which has sometimes happened, poor clock management could have been a serious problem. The losing team would certainly have a strong case.

The 6-0 Carlow-Blount was named MVP. She led all scorers with 17, all rebounders with 8, all players with 7 assists, tied for blocked shots, and with 6 steals, had twice as many as any player. She was also 3-3 from the line. Not only does Ashlan help her team in every possible category, she does little to hurt them. She did have four turnovers because she is creative and gifted and sometimes takes a chance or two.

Ferguson added 15 points, and Mills had 10.

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 74, Mahpiya Luta 76 2OT

“We’ve gone through some tough years,” Head Coach Christian McGhee said after his Crusaders beat the C-EB Braves, “just a lot of learning. Especially since Covid. These young kids have learned and grown, and I am super proud of them. We are learning how to win games, and that is exciting.”

Mahipya Luta opened the season with a big nail biter win over Hill City, and followed it with a semifinal nail biter win over Wall, and so whatever gives a team the ability to weather the storm and make the critical plays at the end, this Crusader team has that gift.

“We had lots of guys step up,” McGhee said. “Shout out to Jesse Carlow (13 points, 3-3 on 3-pointers). He hasn’t seen a lot of varsity time, but he got us going with his threes—big time shots—super proud of him.”

Besides grit and chemistry, the Crusaders have proven to have luck, but to paraphrase golfer Jerry Barber’s quote (The more I practice, the luckier I get), McGhee said. “You definitely need some luck, but they have worked extremely hard and I think that sometimes happens when you work hard like that. I’m super excited about the rest of the year, but we have 15 more games and there are things we have to improve.”

What can’t be overstated is how the Crusaders refused to give up. They were outscored by eight in the first, by three in the second, falling behind by 11, and then outscored the Braves by seven in the third, and by six in the fourth. But the big difference are the two points more they scored over C-EB after two overtimes.

Mahpiya Luta had four players in double figures: Brayton Little 16, Jesse Carlow 13, Christian Jack and Julian Tonche, 10. Jack also had 9 rebounds, but Memphis Brewer ruled the glass on both ends of the floor, yanking down 10 boards. And those rebounds were like daggers to the heart of C-EB.

The Braves shocked the tournament with defeats of former champs Rapid City Christian and Pine Ridge. They also had four players in double figures: Damien Clown, Kobe White with 18, and fiery point guard Levi Elk Nation and Nichlas Woods with 15. Elk Nation, despite being one of the smaller guys on the floor, collected eight rebounds. Kudos to Head Coach Galen Eberhard for taking a talented group and giving them focus and maturity. The Braves are going to have a big year.

(James Giago Davies is an enrolled member of OST. Contact him at skindiesel@msn.com)

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