The O’odham Action News team endured another sweltering July this year, driving from gym to gym across Phoenix to catch a glimpse of Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community hoopers representing their people on their traditional lands in the 22^nd Annual Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI).

From July 22-25, 204 teams comprised of Native boys and girls from more than 130 tribal nations competed in intense pool play and bracket games. The top teams went on to play in the semifinals and championship games, which were broadcast live on AZFamily Sports from PHX Arena, home of the Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns.

NABI also streamed the games live from its very own Nabi Network online.

Salt River’s Izzy Loring and his team, Young Gunz (AZ), took the 2025 NABI Boys Division Championship trophy home. They defeated Rezbombers (AZ) in the finals.

“I think the message we’re trying to send, and the tone, is just play basketball. Nothing but the game. We don’t go for any of that talking stuff or any of that. We’re just here to play,” said Loring.

OAN was at the first Young Gunz game of the tournament.

“First game of NABI, I think we kind of wanted to go out and show the other teams what we do and what we’re made of,” said Loring.

Teammate John Mattingly won the 2025 MarJon Beauchamp MVP award for the tournament.

In the girls bracket, Oklahoma-based team Legendary Elite (OK) fell to defending champions Rezbombers in the final. Rezbombers picked up where they left off last year and rolled right through the pool play, winning the tournament 58-47. Sydney Benally was named the Marjon Beauchamp MVP for the second straight year.

Two SRPMIC member brothers, Jacob Smith (a senior) and Joseph Smith (a sophomore going into his junior year), played for the FMD squad, who finished the tournament 0-4.

Jacob Baptisto, Josh Hood, Noah Lasiloo and Peyton Lalo were all players from the SRPMIC who were on The River team. Due to injuries and having to play some tough teams who went on to play deep in the tournament, The River finished the tournament 0-4 as well.  

O’Shea Bonner, from the SRPMIC, was the lone player from Salt River Ba’ag who played in the tournament for the stacked 6-1 Unconquered team.

The boys Salt River Ba’ag 2028 squad, coached by Rito Lopez, featured members of the SRPMIC. The team included SRPMIC members Tizoc Lopez and Leiland Thomas.

“Family on three!” Lopez encouraged his team after their first loss to the MN Elite at Arizona Lutheran Academy.

“It’s the little details. To control our destiny, we have to execute on our end. You guys gotta lock in a little bit more. I want to be 1-1 by the end of the night.”

The pep talk must have worked. Later that night, the team was 1-1 after defeating Team Valley. Ultimately, Ba’ag ended up 2-2 in the tournament.

The boys team AZ Warriors, featuring SRPMIC member Julian Crowley, rocked the tournament, going 5-1. Unfortunately, they ran into the eventual champion Young Gunz, who knocked them out of the bracket.

When the girls team, AZ Lady Warriors, played their July 23 evening game at Central High School, our crew was there to capture the action. The Lady Warriors are led by coach Phillip King.

Thanks to stellar play from SRPMIC member Mani Williams, they bounced back in their second game vs. GRIC Mustangs 56-17 after losing the first to 509 Roadwarriors from Washington state.

“The first game was really tough. That was an early morning game. I feel like that was a game for us to wake up for this game,” Williams said.

“After playing that team, I feel like it helped all of us knowing what we need to work on for our next game and learning how to play together, because some of us are new.”

Williams’ personal goal is, “to keep shooting and not be scared and to drive it in and just to have a better mental mind for each game, no matter win or lose.”

The Lady Warriors ended the tournament with a 2-2 record.  

NTW featured three SRPMIC members, all Smiths: Seilah, Saedee and Mikayla.

“This is my first year at NABI. I just finished my freshman year. Our team has been pretty good and have been holding ourselves together,” Mikayla said after their third game, which was played at Bourgade High School.

The team did quite well, going 3-2 across the tournament.

“We came back hard and had a couple of up and downs. Everybody did good. We’ve been playing pretty good so far,” said Seilah Smith, who had hoped to make it to semis along the way.

Her sister Saedee Smith felt that the team’s aggressive play and pace were good. She’s always working on how to keep her composure in pressure situations. “I do have some ups and downs, everyone does. My coaches are there for me and they help me,” she said.