EUFAULA, Oklahoma – The Eufaula Native American Cultural Club hosted a 3-on-3 basketball tournament Feb. 18 at the Eufaula Dorm Gym. The ENACC started around March 2022 for high school kids to have more cultural involvement in their community. The tournament was their second event to raise money for activities; their first being a raffle at the Eufaula High School homecoming game. The club also raffled off donations in between games.
“We kind of decided to do a tournament because back in the olden days most people had tournaments at the dorms with different boarding schools,” said ENACC President Gabby Noriega (Mvskoke). “To raise a little bit more money for our club to get things going so we can do more stuff.”
“We’re still a growing club at the moment, but there are around 20 people in our club,” said ENACC Treasurer Danielle Rollins (Mvskoke).
The other ENACC officers include Vice President Jiselle Martinez (Mvskoke) and Secretary Adyson Beaver (Seminole). Noriega and Rollins currently reside at the dorm, and Martinez is a former resident. Noriega is the former 2021-2022 Jr. Miss Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Beaver is the former 2015-2016 Little Miss Seminole Nation.
MCN Principal Chief David Hill, Second Chief Del Beaver, and National Council Representative Okfuskee District Randall Hicks sponsored the event.
“They have supported me as a princess and told me they’d continue to afterward,” Noriega said.
Teams could have four players, and ages ranged from 16 and up. The games lasted either 15 minutes, or whomever was the first to 21 points and faced double elimination.
There were five women’s teams and six men’s teams that participated. The women’s teams included the Stecate bodies, Tune Squad, Kvsvppe, The Truth, and the Dreamsnatchers. The men’s teams included the Trailwalkers, Jayhawks, Mob Creeks, Wagon Burners, Dragons, and the High Rollaz.
The Trailwalkers and the Mob Creeks were the only teams to reach 21 points before the 15 minutes were up. The Stecate Bodies took home the Champion title for the women, and the Mob Creeks for the men. The Runner-ups were the Dreamsnatchers and the Jayhawks.
