Post by Moon Seeker on Jul 9, 2009 15:12:54 GMT -5
Biggest Native American hoops tourney under way in Valley
The Native American Basketball Invitational is in its second day today and runs through Saturday, finishing up at U.S. Airways Center with the girls championship game at 5 p.m. and boys final at 6:30.
There are 38 boys teams, 19 Navajos, as far away as Alaska. There are 28 girls teams.
Chinle's top players, point guard Mathias Claw and center Denzel Harvey -- who led the Wildcats to the Class 3A boys basketball final in March -- are playing for Arizona Boys, an all-star collection from the Navajo reservation, along with Holbrook guard Kyle Cummings.
That team plays at 1:30 today at Lehi Recreation Center, 1231 E. Oak Street, in Mesa. Phoenix College, Phoenix Carl Hayden High and Salt River Recreation Center all are being used today and Friday, before the tournament moves into U.S. Airways Center on Saturday.
The games started at 8:30 in the morning with games following one another throughought the days. The final games today and Friday start at 9 p.m.
Chinle's girls team will have to play with a substitute coach. The girls' head coach, Darrell Clauschee is hospitalized with a heart problem. He had a pacemaker put in two years ago and was having trouble with that recently.
The number of teams for the NABI is down from years past, because of the rocky economy, but still it will be harder to find a more spirited summer high school basketball tournament anywhere in the country this time of year with its loyal and passionate fan base.
www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Richardobert/57311
The Native American Basketball Invitational is in its second day today and runs through Saturday, finishing up at U.S. Airways Center with the girls championship game at 5 p.m. and boys final at 6:30.
There are 38 boys teams, 19 Navajos, as far away as Alaska. There are 28 girls teams.
Chinle's top players, point guard Mathias Claw and center Denzel Harvey -- who led the Wildcats to the Class 3A boys basketball final in March -- are playing for Arizona Boys, an all-star collection from the Navajo reservation, along with Holbrook guard Kyle Cummings.
That team plays at 1:30 today at Lehi Recreation Center, 1231 E. Oak Street, in Mesa. Phoenix College, Phoenix Carl Hayden High and Salt River Recreation Center all are being used today and Friday, before the tournament moves into U.S. Airways Center on Saturday.
The games started at 8:30 in the morning with games following one another throughought the days. The final games today and Friday start at 9 p.m.
Chinle's girls team will have to play with a substitute coach. The girls' head coach, Darrell Clauschee is hospitalized with a heart problem. He had a pacemaker put in two years ago and was having trouble with that recently.
The number of teams for the NABI is down from years past, because of the rocky economy, but still it will be harder to find a more spirited summer high school basketball tournament anywhere in the country this time of year with its loyal and passionate fan base.
www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Richardobert/57311