HURON — Sixteen basketball teams - eight girls’ and eight boys’ squads - will take to the court at Huron Arena today as the Dakota Oyate Challenge (DOC) begins.
Tickets for single day or the entire tournament are available at Huron Arena. Day passes for students are $6 and adult day passes are $8. Tournament passes are $16 and $22. There are no passes for any specific session.
It is the 30th annual boys’ challenge, while the girls’ will mark their 25th straight tournament. While the eight daily basketball games are the centerpiece of the annual get together, Native American “Hand Games” will take place throughout the day on Friday and there will be an archery contest on Saturday. Both events will take place at the Huron Event Center.
In addition, there will be a College Career Day Friday afternoon, a Cheer Competition and a school dance on Friday evening.
Tonight, at the conclusion of play, there will be a Three-Point Shooting competition, as well as a Free-Throw Contest, open to all DOC players.
Here is how today’s opening round at the DOC will shape up.
GIRLS

The Omaha Nation Lady Chiefs are the defending Dakota Oyate Champions and come in to this year’s tournament sporting a record of 12-3 thus far in 2017-18. The Lady Chiefs downed Tiospa Zina in last year’s title game, 85-57.
Omaha Nation played the last game of the girls’ tournament last year and will open this year’s tournament with a 10 a.m. game against 0-6 Takini.
At 1 p.m., Lower Brule (8-3) will play Tiospaye Topa (4-6), while 3-8 Marty and 2-9 Crazy Horse will play at approximately 4 p.m.
The nightcap in the girls’ bracket will find Tiospa Zina, with a record of 4-8, taking on the Flandreau Indian School, with its 1-7 record.
BOYS
Lower Brule, who won last year’s boys’ tournament with a 58-41 decision over the Flandreau Indian School, will also open this year’s tournament in the boys’ bracket.
The Lower Brule Sioux, with a record of 6-6, will face 1-4 Takini at approximately 11:30 a.m., followed at approximately 2:30 by a matchup featuring 6-6 Tiospa Zina and 1-7 Tiospaye Topa.
At around 5:30 p.m., Omaha Nation, with its 11-4 record, will take on 3-7 Crazy Horse and the day will conclude around 8:30, when the Flandreau Indian School (2-5) faces 1-8 Marty.
Games on Friday and Saturday will begin at 9 a.m. and play will be continuous throughout each day of the tournament.

PHOTOS BY MIKE CARROLL/PLAINSMAN

Divante Greeley of Tiospa Zina puts up a shot during the 2017 boys’ third-place game, after getting past Lonnie Hare of Marty.

Next, Nakiah Barea of Omaha Nation drives to the basket as Aubree Bearsheart of Tiospa Zina trails on the play during the girls’ championship game of last year’s Dakota Oyate Challenge.