Sisseton Wahpeton College Wins AIHEC Men’s Division I National Championship

By Dale Pine, Jr.

Sisseton Wahpeton College is celebrating a championship victory after claiming the 2017 AIHEC Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, a first in school history.

Although they made it look easy talent-wise, the Mustangs worked for and earned every victory in Indian Country’s version of March Madness. After going undefeated with a 3-0 record in what was arguably the most competitive group in pool play, the Mustangs ran by a determined Blackfeet team from Montana in the quarterfinal round, 118-83. SWC met it’s match in the semifinals facing the three-time defending champion, Salish Kootenai College (SKC).

At times when it appeared the Bison of SKC would run away with the game, the relentless Mustangs rallied right back. After forcing several turnovers and coming back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to tie the game with 3 seconds, the scene was set for perhaps the most memorable moment of the tournament. After a quick inbound pass, an open Derrick McCauley hit a fade away three point shot as time expired to send the Mustangs to the championship game.

On championship day, the Mustangs completed a 6-0 tournament record with a 109-87. McCauley, a ball-handling expert, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after finishing as the top assist-man in the tournament. Austin Kirkie and Devin Tohm were also named to the all-tournament team. Kirkie finished as one of the tournament’s leading scorers and Tohm finished as one of the top three point shooters, including 7 made in the semi-final game against SKC.

What’s next for the rising program? As with many tribal college programs on the rise, the Mustangs faced similar challenges as their peers. “Last summer I was at a conference at SKC and I saw all their banners for AIHEC championships. I had put on some community 5 on 5 tournaments and knew we had some talent. I started calling all the guys and talking this AIHEC tournament up,” said Joey Mason, Student Services Director at SWC. “The guys decided to come help get a program started. After that the major issues boiled down to scheduling. Not only games but practice as well because we had to work around everyone’s work and class schedules.” “We will have a women’s team competing next year as well, I just had a harder time recruiting students for a womens team.

This AIHEC tournament was our goal from day one. It was an amazing time out there and I appreciate the hospitality of OLC and Rapid City,” added Mason. “It is a huge accomplishment for us, we are probably the smallest school in the tournament with an enrollment of around 150.

Our guys weren’t only playing for the school but we are playing for our community as well. All games are live streamed so people back home can watch them.”

If there’s one thing we learned from the tournament: the Mustangs have arrived.

Team members included: Derrick McCauley (tournament MVP), Devin Tohm (all-tourney) Austin Kirkie (all-tourney), Kendrick Mirreau, Lenny White, Jaiden Carlson, Maurice Redday, and Jerrad Max.