Siksika take bite out of Grizzlies in final

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The Siksika Nation senior men's basketball team continues to dominate in the south country, outclassing all opposition at the 16th annual Oki Tournament.

Siksika took the tournament in convincing fashion winning five straight games at the Peigan Community Hall to capture the championship trophy, plus $1,050 in cash and hooded windbreakers.

The team has mastered all the basic fundamentals of a winning team - they have speed, size, high percentage shooting skills, desire, and plenty of desire. The team consists of seven members of the McMaster family, plus Lyle Bruno and Elroy Panther Bone - two out-standing centers.

Their power lies behind ultimate team spirit. They prefer two points on the board, rather than individual scoring stats. They continually put pressure on opponents, forcing turnovers throughout the game.

Siksika opened the tourney with a 98-75 win over Browning College Sky, then defeated Crow Agency Montana 84-56. Then the Blood Ghosts gave Siksika a run for their money winning by a 56-49 score.

The Siksika team then went against the Grizzlies, another Blood entry, in the battle of the undefeated at the top of the nine team double knockout draw. They manhandled the Grizzlies 99-66 to advance to the finals, as Lyle Bruno led the offence with 20 points. Grizzly Brent Singer replied with 14.

On their end, the Grizzlies beat the Lethbridge Friendship Centre crew with a narrow 59-54 win, and cooked Browning 75-67 to advance against Siksika. After losing to Siksika, the Grizzlies locked horns again with Browning, squeaking out a hard fought 85-81 win to advance to the finals.

The first eight minutes of the final game promised more than was served as the Grizzlies kept up a fierce line of attach. But the Siksika's fast transition game got the southern team their fast break game going and they cruised to an easy 93-33 win.

Elroy Panther Bone and Lyle Bruno paced the winners offence with 21 and 17 points respectively. J.R. Manson and Vern Young Pine also hit for double figures for the Grizz with 13 and 12 points.

The Grizzlies took home second place money of $650, T-shirts and a trophy. Browning left with third place money of $450, and caps. During the tournament Browning won over the Peigan Tornadoes, 75-52, Crow Agency 109-90 and the Ghosts 87-82.

Lyle Bruno was named the most valuable player of the tournament. Team mates Elroy Panther Bone and Lawrence McMaster made the all-star team, which also included Pat Schildt Browning, J.R. Manson and Brent Singer of the Grizzlies.

Loose Rebounds

The Oki Tourney is one of the longest running Indian tournaments, starting in 1977...Roberta Yellow Hare has been at everyone of them as a scorekeeper...Quinton Crow Shoe was the MC for the awards presentations while head chief Leonard Bastien,

a real sports enthusiastic, presented the awards...Browning played in two tournaments here and at Valier Montana had Glenna Cardinal in their lineup. Cardinal, one of Indian Country's top female basketball player, looked right at home on the court. "I am just trying to do some running, I'm playing in league playoffs next week in Calgary", she said.