RAPID CITY — Red Cloud joined a rare company on Saturday.

The Crusaders became the first girls basketball team to three-peat at the Lakota Nation Invitational since Cheyenne-Eagle Butte (2009-11) at the Summit Arena. After a tight first quarter, Red Cloud punctuated its three-peat with a convincing 67-43 win over Wall. 

“It just feels amazing to do that, especially with my teammates,” Red Cloud sophomore Ashlan Carlow said about the three-peat. “We all love each other and to be able to do that with them, makes it much more surreal.”

For Red Cloud coach Matt Rama, it spoke volumes about his program’s ability to adjust through the years. He noted the Crusaders have shifted personnel each year and have still continued to reach the LNI pinnacle. 

“I think that just speaks a lot to how hard our kids work at Red Cloud and Mahpiya Luta and I am very proud of them,” Rama said. “Because you get this chance to win and it feels really good, but what no one sees is all the time they are by themselves.”

On Saturday, Red Cloud shined in front of an electric atmosphere. The Crusaders placed four players in double figures, including 18 points from MVP Taleah Lunderman. Kennedy Fridia had 15 points and eight rebounds. Jodene Hunter added 13 points, while Carlow posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Mya Mills chipped in with seven points. 

Carlow, a sophomore guard, said the depth and balanced scoring speaks to Red Cloud’s team-first attitude. 

“We all have the same goal,” Carlow said. “We want to win it. It doesn’t matter who scores the most points or who does this. We each have the same goal.”

Red Cloud and Wall, which is No. 1 in Class B, played a tight first eight minutes. The Eagles were clinging to a 12-11 first-quarter advantage, but they seized control with a 26-13 second quarter.

“We put some pressure on them and we were able to get some turnovers and turn them into transition,” Rama said. “We were just tired at the start, which is not surprising because it’s a new team. So for a lot of them it’s a new experience. So you don’t expect them to be ready for a moment when there are 4,000 people in attendance and you are playing for the championship.”

Red Cloud led 37-25 at halftime and 53-35 after three quarters en route to the title.

Wall’s Nora Dinger, who scored her 1,000th career point in the game, finished with 12 points. Paige Kjerstad logged 12 points and 10 rebounds. Rhea Tucker added 10 points and 10 rebounds. 

The win capped off a grueling four-day tournament, but Saturday’s win buttoned up a dominant Red Cloud. The Crusaders defeated Tiospa Zina (93-19), Little Wound (81-33) and Rapid City Christian (63-13) en route to the title. 

“I am really proud because I know how much they have been working and how much they wanted to have this first early season success,” Rama said. “The way they were just so intense every game from the beginning to end. It was very impressive. So I was very happy for them.”