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2021 Lakota All-Star Games, Rosters Announced

On April 24th, the Barnett Arena at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City will host the Lakota All-Star girls and boys basketball games. This event brings some of the best native high school seniors from the area to one venue for one day of basketball. This is technically the third year of the Lakota All-Star Games, but last year was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“I really believe that in our Lakota culture we have a lot of great athletes, and we don’t get a chance to see each other that much during the regular season in a normal year,” said Dale Pine Jr, Lakota All-Star game organizer and founder. “This is an opportunity to bring people together from different places, people get to see their relatives, and people get to see kids play, who they may not get to see during the year.”

The 2020-21 high school basketball season was challenging for many schools and programs throughout South Dakota. While some native schools may have saw a full or somewhat condensed schedule, others decided to opt out. On top of it, the Lakota Nation Invitational, which would have celebrated its 44th year this past December, was also canceled.

“Without an event like the LNI this past season, having an event like this will give an opportunity for these seniors to play at the Civic Center one last time,” Pine explained. “Having this is something people have been waiting for an it will hold them over until the LNI next December.”

Some of the games at next year’s LNI event will take place on the court in Rapid City newest event center – Summit Arena at The Monument. It's scheduled to open this coming fall.

The Lakota All-Star basketball extravaganza at the end of this month will consist of two games, a girls and a boys. Twenty-two athletes were selected on the girls side, while twenty-six were selected to make up the boys division. Athlete's in both the boys and girls class were then split in half to make up two teams for each. 

Girls Rosters

Team Anpo

Talaiah Bear Killer – Bennett County

Jaden Ferris – Wyoming Indian, WY

Lacey Few Tails – Pine Ridge

Maria Gallardo – Tiospa Zina

Galeigh Little – Lower Brule

Francesca Ross – Mandaree, ND

Quentina Standing Solder – Crazy Horse

Inila Ware – Lander Valley, WY

Dorianna White – Wymoing Indian, WY

Cheyenne Whiting – Little Wound

Caelyn Valandra-Prue – White River

Team Wicahpi

Raven Barse – Corsica-Stickney

Maddie Cleveland – Winnebago, NE

Chernessa Cournoyer – Marty Indian

Jolynn Fighting Bear – Wyoming Indian, WY

Mahpiya Irving – Royal Valley, KS

Wakiyan Wi Irving – Royal Valley, KS

Zoe Long Soldier – Bennett County

Amia Roach-Valandra – White River

Deja Roberts – Crazy Horse

Madison Wells – Lower Brule

Kenya Merrival – Rapid City Stevens

Boys Rosters

Team Hehaka

Elijah Andrews – Wellington, FL

Peja Cook – Lander, WY

Alex Cournoyer – Wagner

Jordan Eberlein – Rapid City Stevens

Cinch Hebb – Dupree

Dillan Hereford – Lander, WY

Josef Long Soldier – Lakota Tech

Cyrus Makes Him first – Flandreau Indian

James Richards – Big Horn, WY

Ashaun Roach-Valandra – Dell Rapids St. Mary

Julian Swallow – Rapid City Central

Micah Swallow – Rapid City Central

Bennett Yellow Bird – Sioux Falls Roosevelt

Team Tatanka

Jarron Big Horn – Red Cloud

Cadell Brunsch – Hay Springs, NE

Chuckie Cottier – Lakota Tech

Israel Defender – Marty Indian 

Jakob Dobney – Vermillion

Kenyon Easter – White River

Spence Moran – Dupree

Colbe Scott – White River

Derek Sounding Sides – Ft. Washakie, WY

Devon Spotted War Bonnet – St. Francis/Todd County

Tahj Two Bulls – Sioux Falls Washington

Jesse White – White Shield, ND

Alex Zephier – Dakota Valley

“It’s definitely hard to [pick players]. You want to give an opportunity to as many people as possible and you want as many communities/schools to be a part of it, but at some point you just have to have to say “here’s the cutoff” for it,” said Pine.

During halftime of the girls game, there will be a brief ceremony to honor the 1983 Pine Ridge girls basketball squad and Devona Lone Wolf, who went on to have a basketball career in college for the University of South Dakota. The event will also honor the 1995 Red Cloud boys basketball team at halftime of the boys all-star game, and there are plans to hold a special presentation before the boys game in honor of Beau DuBray.

For game time listings, ticket pricing, and additional information, click here. There is also a mention that reads ‘Masks will be required.’

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and three sons, Braxan, Jordy, and Anders live in Canton, SD.