Lani Hansen/Senior Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Recreation Department will be hosting an all-tribal basketball tournament for individual 8th graders who are graduating from an Oklahoma Rural Elementary School (ORES).
Nomination forms were sent out to all ORES schools, where players were selected by their coaches. All nominations were received back by February 18.
“A lot of these kids will be going to an entirely different school, so we wanted to send them off in a good way to recognize their efforts both athletically and academically,” MCN Recreation Project Specialist Lucas Taylor said.
This tournament is called the Inaugural Oklahoma Inter-Tribal Rising Stars Game to highlight not only Muscogee (Creek) students but all tribal students. The event was created to reward and honor those students of ORES schools hard work. The games will showcase and display student-athletes’ talents and character.
The day will be family-oriented filled with basketball games and little activities between games for all. There will be concession available, prices for admissions and concession items will be affordable.
Games will begin at 1 p.m. as others will follow in the afternoon.
“We have kids who will be driving in from a distance, so I would rather us start in the afternoon that way it gives everyone time to get here,” Taylor added.
The Rising Stars Game is highlighting students who work hard on the court and off the court. The coaches were in charge of nominating these students based on their classroom work or elsewhere.
According to Taylor, there was 24 young ladies accepted to play and 19 young men to play, making up two girls’ games and one boys’ game. At the end of the games one young lady and one young man will be selected as MVP.
The Oklahoma Inter-Tribal Rising Stars Games will take place on March 26 at the Mvskoke Dome in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
