By Nate Bisson
64 tribes from across the country competed in this year’s 5th annual Battle of the Nations basketball tournament located in Spokane, Washington. On April 4th, teams met at Spokane Casino for mandatory check-ins, followed by a grand entry ceremony and live drawing for game times.
The grand entry started with an honoring of flags by Indigenous Veterans, followed by songs and dances as all tribes were introduced and welcomed onto the floor.
This basketball tournament is very unique in that Tribal members can only play with the tribe they are enrolled in. Tribal IDs are verified at check ins on the first day. The tournament director and creator is Spokane tribal member Jerry Ford Redbone.
On April 5th, Muckleshoot faced off against Skokomish in the first round and won by more than 20 points. Next, we battled against Blackfeet Nation and won by 20 as well.
On April 6th, we fought hard against Lapwai Nation, but came up short losing by 10. Lapwai ended up finishing 4th place in the tournament. Our final game was also on April 6th, we played a very tough Coeur d’Alene Tribal team and lost.
Out of 64 Tribal Nations, Muckleshoot finished in the top 16 teams in the country. We’re hoping to return next year and improve our ranking.
WINNERS:
MUCKLESHOOT TEAM ROSTER:
Smoke & Cedar at Muckleshoot Casino Resort has been named the No. 1 best casino steakhouse in the 2026 Newsweek Readers’ Choice Polls, earning national recognitionfrom diners across the country.
The Muckleshoot Tribe’s Annual Christmas Party brought families together for a festive day filled with excitement, tradition, and holiday spirit. The event blended cultural pride with modern fun, creating a jolly good time for all ages.
On December 16 Muckleshoot Indian Tribe hosted Indigenous Peoples’ Night with the Seattle Kraken at the Climate Pledge Arena. It was a reminder that Native peoples are still here.
At this year’s Home Team Harvest event, the Muckleshoot Tribe contributed $50,000 to support hunger relief efforts across the region. Councilmembers Virginia Cross and Anita Mitchell attended the event on behalf of the Tribe.
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