This weekend, the biggest all-Native American basketball tournament in North America was bigger than ever — drawing a record number of teams and players to Phoenix: 196 teams. 488 games. Five days.
It’s called the Native American Basketball Invitational, or NABI.
These high school-aged players represented 180 tribal communities. They traveled from within the U.S., Canada and even as far as New Zealand to compete in Phoenix.
Grand Canyon University partnered with NABI for the 21st annual competition to utilize 13 basketball courts on its campus. But on Saturday, the semifinals and finals were held at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury.
The Cheyenne Arapaho boys team from Oklahoma defeated Minnesota’s Lower Sioux (56-50) to win its seventh time since the tournament’s start in 2003. They also beat the defending champs Akichita from North Dakota on their way to the finals.
Meanwhile, the defending girls champs Legendary Elite, also from Oklahoma, lost to the 2022 champions (69-40), the Rezbombers from the Navajo Nation.
Cheyenne Arapaho’s Daniel Creepingbear and Sydney Benally of the Rezbombers were named the MarJon Beauchamp MVPs.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was in attendance, among other tribal leaders, including Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community.
“Congratulations to our incredible Navajo athletes who have shown us the power of unity and perseverance,” Nygren wrote on social media. “Watching them grow during their high school season then come together as a team to achieve this national title has been nothing short of inspiring.”
