The hope is that they become successful NABI alumni and return to their communities and give back to the next generation.įormer Suns forward and current NABI advisory board member A.C. The ultimate goal for the both Frost and the NABI foundation is to give the kids an exposure to the opportunities possible outside of their lives on the reservation. They all come from the same blood, she says, so on a spiritual level, it makes sense that they were able to bond. The team is represented by players from Cherokee, Winnebago, Apache and many other tribes. “They’re joking like they’ve known each other forever,” Foreman said.įrom Frost's perspective, the boys might not have known each other, but they are all connected by their native heritage. She organizes all the team’s meals and takes the boys’ phones away while they eat so they will actually communicate and get to know each other. 'It's unheard of for a team with this little preparation to come this far,' Frost said, her voice breaking due to the emotional attachment she feels to her players.īut she has done her part in making sure the boys do everything together, including cooling off in the pool, watching film and eating meals. It was once a family affair for Frost, as well, when she would bring her son to compete in NABI when he was a teenager. His daughter was a part of the SW Heat-Ktysp from Okegie, Okla., and added six points in the final game to help her team win 59-28 and bring home the trophy.

Saturday morning, he sat directly across from the away team’s bench to watch the Division 2 Girls championship play out. With the help of Frost, he was able to get those players onto Savage Storm, giving them a chance to compete on the big stage.įor Foreman, the tournament has become a family affair. His players were originally supposed to play on Cheyenne Arapaho but were left off the roster just a few weeks ago, so the semifinal victory was that much more satisfying, Foreman said. agreed and brought three of his players with him. Playing in Talking Stick Resort Arena with a crowd clearly cheering for the home team, the Storm held off late runs from CMD to eke out the win.įrost enlisted Foreman to coach her team three weeks ago when they ran into each other during a tournament in Oklahoma.įoreman - who coaches his own team in Anadarko, Okla. The Storm would end up defeating CMD (from Fort McDowell, Arizona) in the championship game 69-65 to capture the trophy.

A missed shot was collected by guard Lucas Osceola, and he nailed a baseline jumper from about 10 feet away as time expired. The Storm had clawed back from an early deficit to tie the game at 72 with about 40 seconds left. It also took a last-second buzzer-beater on Friday night against Cheyenne Arapaho, this year’s defending champions, to get to the championship game.

Storm boy trophy guide