HURON, S.D. ? The Dakota Oyate Tournament, an annual All-Indian boys’ basketball tournament, brought a boost to the Huron area’s economy as fans descended on the northeastern South Dakota town for one of the largest tournaments in the region.
The tournament, which was formerly known as the All-Indian Tournament, is one of three large Native American tournaments that will be played in Huron this year.
The tournament regularly attracts nearly 2,000 fans from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska and South Dakota.
The American Indian Higher Education Consortium Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Mar. 27 to 29, 2002. The AIHEC will consist of 36 teams from eight states.
Huron will also host the 19th Annual Men’s 6-foot-and-under Indian Nationals Invitational. That tournament, Apr. 11 to 13, 2002, will include 24 teams from across the United States.
Robert Begay, director of the Dakota Oyate Challenge and a Si Tanka Huron University alumnus who serves as a coordinator for the athletic events, called the tournament a success. He said it was exciting and very competitive.
While there are other “all Indian” tournaments”, Begay called the tournament, which is open to many schools that may not make it to the state tournament, “the best kept secret” in high school basketball.
The reason, he said, is because it offers the fans of the teams a large tournament without a hefty price tag to take in the games.
While girl’s games generally bring a lower turnout, the tournament brings in a profit with the boys games and the bills are paid directly from the ticket sales at the gate.
“All our bills are paid and the Dakota Oyate Tournament always leaves with its bills paid,” he said.
The teams’ entry fees provide the seed money for the tournament. The money covers the cost of awards and the fees paid to referees. This year the tournament paid $7,000 for awards and $4,000 in referee fees.
The Huron Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the gymnasium rentals. Local businesses sponsor game related activities during the event, such as the hospitality rooms.
Some of the more exciting moments included a highly competitive game with the Crow Creek Chieftains who defeated the Omaha Nation Chiefs, 68-67, in double overtime in the championship Jan. 27.
After winning the tournament in 1999 and 2000, the Chieftains were left watching the championship game a year ago.
The games deciding third and fourth place also ended in overtime as the Marty Indians and the Red Cloud Crusaders battled for the next highest honors. The Red Cloud team had only one returning starter in its match against the Marty team which had three returning starters.
Begay said there would be changes in next year’s event resulting from the calendar seasons for South Dakota girls’ basketball team. The Huron area will host 32 girls and boys team in two different complexes in 2003. Again teams from the six-state region will play 64 games in the course of the four-day event held Jan. 29 -Feb.1.
Begay said running the girls and boys games at the same time will be a greater challenge, but the girls and boys teams will use Si Tanka Huron University’s athletic complex for some of the games.
“We want to put on a high quality tournament at a low price for fans,” he said.
The area will play host to a 16-team high school volleyball tournament, high school cross-country meet and adult golf tournament Sept. 19 and 20, 2003.
“The AIHEC tournament will be very successful because I work with a passion,” said Begay.
The tournament, which rotates from state to state, is one of the activities during the annual AIHEC convention which will be held this year in the Black Hills.
During the Dakota Oyate Tournament, Si Tanka Huron University dedicated the Screaming Eagles Cultural Center, a room where Native American artifacts and art are displayed. Once a seldom used game room, the room has become a haven for Native students looking for a comfortable environment and a site for non-Native students to learn more about the culture.