RAPID CITY — Little Wound’s Riley Casey has been on a scoring tear at the Lakota Nation Invitational, and his father has a front row seat to it. 

Casey has scored 112 points through the first three Lakota Nation Invitational games, putting up games of 38, 38 and 37 points. 

And the 37.7 points per game scoring average is a reflection of Riley’s dedication to the game, said his father and Little Wound coach Mackenzie Casey. 

“That’s all his hard work and it’s fun to see that pay off for anybody, especially your son,” Mackenzie said. “He puts in a lot of hours lifting, shooting, ballhandling, and that’s just finally paying off. I really enjoy watching it and coaching it.”

The father-son relationship has always been centered around basketball, with Mackenzie coaching Riley for years. As the years have gone by, Riley said he’s appreciated having his father as his coach and mentor. 

“It’s a privilege to have him as a coach,” said Riley, a 6-foot-1 senior guard. “We understand each other so much mentally and feed off of each other.”

Mackenzie, a former Mahpiya Luta and South Dakota State University basketball player, said basketball has strengthened their bond and it’s created lasting memories.   

“We live in the gym,” Mackenzie said. “If we are not in the gym we are watching NBA, college and we love the season. On the reservation basketball is life.”

Riley echoed his father’s sentiments about basketball tightening their relationship, and said they both think alike on the court. 

“He was a really good basketball player,” Riley said. “Naturally I just ended up gravitating toward basketball. It’s like the language that we both speak and he could just show me more about it.”

Mackenzie admits he’s harder on his son than the other players, but it’s because he holds him to a higher standard. 

“I am kind of harder on him actually,” Mackenzie said. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing. Sometimes I kind of chew on him a little more. But he stays coachable and he knows that I have high expectations for him, especially being a senior as a leader.”

And Riley appreciates that coaching style. 

“My standard for him is super high,” Riley said. “If I don’t meet it he’s letting me know, and I am fine with that because I like to be held to a high standard and that just means he expects great things out of me. He does and I am OK with it.”

Riley was also an outstanding football player for the Mustangs. As a quarterback, he passed for 1,919 yards and 25 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,076 yards and 16 more scores. He was named the All-Nations Football Conference MVP and all-state quarterback. 

But playing college basketball is the future plan. Riley hopes to play at the next level, and will decide in the spring his college destination. 

But one thing is certain, he’s looking forward to following his father’s basketball path at the next level. 

“It would be very special to follow in his footsteps,” Riley said. “I look up to my dad. I always get other people telling me how good my dad was and I think that’s very special. It would be cool to follow in his footsteps.”