Native American Basketball Invitational
From Hoopedia
The Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) is an invitational basketball tournament for Native American high school age boys and girls basketball teams from throughout the United States and Canada. The tournament is played in Phoenix, Arizona.
NABI began in 2003 with as a 24-team (12 boys teams, 12 girls teams) double-elimination tournament. Proceeds were donated to programs focusing on important Native American issues such as education and health, among others.
The tournament has grown considerably. The 2007 tournament has 48 boys teams and 40 girls teams participating and is the first Native American tournament to be officially certified by the NCAA.
SBT Shockwave of Pocatello, Idaho , will be back to defend their national title. These players and coaches are from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and are coached by Peggy Dixie.
The Navajo Nation Lady Cats, led by last year's tournament MVP Telisha Joe, are ready to defend their national NABI title against 39 other girls' teams. Coached by Randell Joe, these athletes and coaches hail primarily from Gallup, New Mexico and the Navajo Nation.
