Saskatoon and Sarcee win at Brocket

In addition to the Napi Friendship Center's Cross Cultural Days and powwow January 15 to 19, Brocket and Pincher Creek saw action in both basketball and hockey competitions.

The 20th annual Oki Basketball Tournament attracted 20 teams in a senior men's open side and an all-Native open category.

The most exciting game of the tournament had to be the final in the Native division as Siksika went up against the Saskatoon Hoop Dancers.

Right from the opening whistle, the game see-sawed back and forth between the evenly matched teams, and they were tied 36-36 after the first half.

The lead continued to change hands throughout the second half. With 4:04 left in the game and Siksika leading by two, their top gunner Lawrence McMaster fouled out, and they sagged from that point on as Saskatoon slowly pulled away, ending it with an 84-71 victory.

Kurt Keplin hit for 41 points for the winning team, including six three-pointers. Wayne Bernett added 15 while Mike Tanton sank 12. Lyle Bruno replied with 22 while McMaster chipped in with 16 points.

Saskatoon went undefeated in four games, while Siksika won five, edging Browning 76-75 to advance to the finals.

The Hoop Dancers took first place money of $1,100, Siksika $800, Browning $600 and the Wolf Pack $400.

In the eight-team open division, a team from Calgary named Mr. D's won the title with an 89-83 victory over the Lethbridge Whirlwind Chasers, winning first-place money of $800. Lethbridge took home $600 while the $400 for third place went to Saskatoon again, as Native teams were allowed to play in both divisions. The Wolf Pack won $200 for fourth place.

In the eight-team double-knockout non-contact hockey tourney, the Sarcee Chiefs from the Tsuu T'ina First Nation won first-place money of $1,100 as they won four straight games to claim the crown. They also won championship jackets.

They defeated a very tired Morley Tomahawks team 4-1 in the championship. Final goal scorers for Sarcee were Emett Crow Child, Dave Brockel and Dennis White Bear, with two. Garrett Baptists managed the only Morley goal. Sarcee held period leads of 2-0 and 3-0. It was Morley's fourth game of the day.

Sarcee also managed wins over Peigan Eagles, Napi Friendship Center and Morley in earlier games.

Morley won second-place money of $825, Napi $600 for placing third and the Blood Bullhorn took fourth-place money of $450.

All-star jackets were presented to Sarcee goalie Paul Whitney, defencemen Dave Lawrence of Napi and Garrett Baptiste of Morley, and forwards Dennis White Bear of Sarcee, Doug Singer of Bullhorn and Cody Labelle of Morley.