By Rich Winter

With the 2020 version of the Lakota Nation Invitational not happening because of Covid-19 basketball folks are eagerly anticipating the start of the 2021 December classic.

A couple of new twists this year as the basketball field has been expanded to 24 teams. New teams this year are Tiospaye Topa, Lakota Tech, Dupree, Rapid City Christian, Tiospa Zina, McLaughlin, Santee and the Todd County JV teams.With 24 teams being spread into three brackets, Wednesday, Dec. 15 will serve as challenge day where teams meet before bracket play starts Thursday.

Wednesday, December 15

Challenge Day

Summit Arena

Wednesday, December 15

Girls - 8:00 a.m. Takini vs. Todd County JV

Boys – 9:30 a.m. Takini vs. Todd County JV

Girls – 11:00 a.m. Tiospaye Topa vs. Santee

Boys – 12:30 p.m. Tiospaye Topa vs. Santee

Girls – 2:00 p.m. Omaha Nation vs. Oelrichs

Boys – 3:30 p.m. Crazy Horse vs. Dupree

Girls – 5:00 p.m. Pine Ridge vs. Tiospa Zina

Boys – 6:30 p.m. McLaughlin vs. Oelrichs

Ice Arena

Wednesday, December 15

Girls – 8:00 a.m. White River vs. St. Francis

Boys – 9:30 a.m. Cheyenne-Eagle Butte vs. Crow Creek

Girls – 11:00 a.m. Cheyenne-Eagle Butte vs. Crow Creek

Boys – 12:30 Little Wound vs. St. Francis

Girls – 2:00 p.m. Red Cloud vs. Todd County

Boys – 3:30 White River vs. Pine Ridge

Girls – 5:00 p.m. Little Wound vs. Lakota Tech

Boys – 6:30 p.m. Red Cloud vs. Todd County

Barnett Arena

Wednesday, December 15

Girls – 8:00 a.m. Crazy Horse vs. Dupree

Boys – 9:30 a.m. Rapid City Christian vs. Marty

Girls – 11:00 a.m. Rapid City Christian vs. Marty

Boys – 12:30 a.m. Custer vs. Lower Brule

Girls – 2:00 p.m.Custer vs. Lower Brule

Boys – 3:30 p.m. Tiospa Zina vs. Wakpala

Girls – 5:00 p.m. McLaughlin vs. Lakota Tech

Boys Brackets:

Eldon Marshall's White River Tigers get the nod as the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. The Tigers won the title in 2019 and return a host of veteran players including Dylan Marshall and Joe Sayler. Brian LaRoche's Lower Brule squad earned the No. 2 overall seed. The Sioux return a number of starters from a team that finished 6th at the 2020 South Dakota Class B state tournament.

Boys Brackets

Oceti Sakowin Bracket

9:30 a.m. No. 1 White River vs. No. 8 Rapid City Christian

6:30 p.m. No. 4 Red Cloud vs. No. 5 Tiospa Zina

12:30 p.m. No. 2 Lower Brule vs. No.7 Little Wound

3:30 p.m. No. 3 Lakota Tech vs. No. 6 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte

Makosica Bracket

9:30 a.m. No.1 Todd County vs. No. 8 St. Francis

6:30 p.m. No. 4 Custer vs. No. 5 McLaughlin

12:30 p.m. No. 2 Pine Ridge vs. No. 7 Crazy Horse

3:30 p.m. No. 3 Crow Creek vs. No. 6 Omaha Nation

Paha Sapa Bracket

9:30 a.m. No. 1 Wakpala vs. No. 8 Takini

6:30 p.m. No. 4 Marty vs. No. 5 Todd County JV

12:30 No. 2 Dupree vs. No. 7 Santee

3:30 p.m. No. 3 Oelrichs vs. No. 6 Tiospa Zina

Girls Brackets:

In 2019 the Red Cloud girls lost to Crow Creek in the championship game of Lakota Nation. That team went 21-2 and qualified for the state tournament that never happened. The Crusaders return a good chunk of that 2019 team and are the overall No. 1 seed in girls play. Lakota Tech, coached by Laura Big Crow, earned the No. 2 seed while Rapid City Christian, led by University of South Dakota signee, Olivia Kieffer, grabbed the No. 3 overall seed.

Girls Brackets

Oceti Sakowin Bracket

8:00 a.m. No. 1 Red Cloud vs. No. 8 Wakpala

5:00 p.m. No. 4 White River vs. No. 5 Crow Creek

11:00 a.m. No. 2 Lakota Tech vs. No. 7 Dupree

2:00 p.m. No. 3 Rapid City Christian vs. No. 6 Custer

Makosica Bracket

9:30 a.m. No. 1 Little Wound vs. No. 8 St. Francis

5:00 p.m. No. 4 Pine Ridge vs. No. 5 Lower Brule

11:00 a.m. No. 2 Todd County vs. No. 7 Tiospa Zina

2:00 p.m. No. 3 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte vs. No. 6 Omaha Nation

Paha Sapa Bracket

8:00 a.m. No. 1 Marty vs. No. 8 Takini

5:00 p.m. No. 4 Todd County JV vs. No. 5 Crazy Horse

11:00 a.m. No. 2 Tiospa Zina vs. No. 7 Santee

2:00 p.m. No. 3 Oelrichs vs. No. 6 McLaughlin