RAPID CITY — Red Cloud raised its second consecutive Lakota Nation Invitational championship trophy on Saturday. 

The Crusaders outlasted rival Lakota Tech, 45-38, in the LNI girls basketball championship game at the Summit Arena. It was the second straight season the Crusaders defeated the Tatanka for the LNI championship, winning 72-65 (OT) in last year’s title tilt.

But this was a whole new set of Crusaders accomplishing this year’s feat. 

“It’s a brand new team,” Red Cloud coach Matt Rama said. “We only had Maikole (Carlow) coming back. So it was all new girls. You don’t really know what they are going to do in this moment because they never have been in this moment.”

Red Cloud seized the moment and rallied past Lakota Tech to secure back-to-back titles. The Crusaders trailed 31-19 late in the contest as the Tatanka looked destined to earn their first-ever LNI championship.  

But the Crusaders evened the score at 31-31, capped off by a Carlow 3-pointer and a Jewelia LeBeau field goal. 

“They were really struggling and struggling to hit shots,” Rama said. “We got settled in and finally got into it and started making some shots.”

It spelled the beginning of the end for Lakota Tech, which went through a scoring drought down the stretch. The Crusaders outscored the Tatanka, 14-7, in the closing minutes. 

“Our defense was pretty good the whole game,” Rama said. “I felt like we just had to start scoring.” 

Carlow led Red Cloud with 14 points and hit three 3-pointers. LeBeau added 13 points. Lolo Carlow scored six points. 

Tawney Rodriguez finished with nine points and five rebounds. Jodene Hunter logged eight points and seven rebounds. Melina Shangreaux added seven points and 12 rebounds, while Maya Dreamer had five points. 

It was Red Cloud’s seven LNI championship and a moment they’ve dreamed of since grade schoolers. 

“It’s so special to them because they have been dreaming of it all their lives,” Rama said. “They have been coming to this tournament all their life. So I am really happy for them and their families because I know it is really special for them, too.”