NABI tourney to bring hundreds of athletes to Maricopa

A showcase of Native American athletic talent will soon return to Maricopa.

Beginning July 9 at 6 p.m., The Native American Basketball Invitational will kick- off their 15th annual tournament with opening ceremonies at Copper Sky Park.

The tourney is presented by the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Nike N7, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and the Gila River Indian Community.

NABI Co-Founder and President GinaMarie Scarpa said it is the first time the organization has opened the event to the public.

“Usually our opening ceremonies was closed to the public,” Scarpa said. “We held it last year at UltraStar at Ak-Chin Circle and it was great.”

Scarpa said this year the entire community is welcomed to the event. NABI teamed up with the Ak-Chin Indian Community and the City of Maricopa to host a public ceremony.

Kristie Riester, community services director with the city, said the tournament is another opportunity for the community to celebrate its youth.

“We encourage the community to come out and participate and support these kids who are coming out to play in the tournament,” Riester said during a city council meeting last week at city hall.

One hundred twenty-eight high school-age teams will begin the opening ceremony with a parade of flags representing over 300 Native American tribes from the United States and New Zealand.  A public meet-and-greet with nearly 1,600 players will follow.

“Ak-Chin is one of our biggest supporters of the event so we were really excited to partner with them and the City of Maricopa to bring it south,” Scarpa said.

Riester said food vendors will be on hand during the festivities along with music supplied by a DJ.

“Nike N7, which is their Native American line, is going to be doing their new release presentation to present their new line,” Scarpa added.

The ceremony will conclude after a fireworks presentation at 9:45 p.m.

Scarpa said NABI’s mission is to support young, Native American athletes and academics.

“Our Native youth is so underserved, just because (of the) desolation of a lot of the reservations, so they get overlooked and there is so much talent athletically and academically,” Scarpa said, “So to go out of country to look for this talent is insane when we have it right here.”

Before opening ceremonies begin, Scarpa said there will be a college and career fair for the student-athletes.

“The whole purpose of the tournament is to open up opportunities and to inspire them to higher education,” Scarpa said.

The tournament runs July 10 through July 14 at various local gyms including: Maricopa High School, Ak-Chin Indian Community Recreation Center, Leading Edge Academy, Vah-Ki Multipurpose Service Center in Bapchule, and Stanfield Elementary School.

The championship games will take place July 15 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.

For ticket information, as well as specific dates and locations of games, visit http://www.nabifoundation.org/nabi_basketball.html

NABI has partnered with the National Basketball Association and will also hold a Jr. Basketball Camp for freshman-aged Native American athletes. The camps will be hosted by NBA staff, coaches and players and is closed to the public, Scarpa said.