The Young Guns, comprised of players from across the Pacific Northwest, won the Native American Basketball Invitational on Saturday, July 17, 2021, in Phoenix, Arizona. Team members include, back row from left, coach Travis Adams, Magi Moses, Hodges Flemming, Teal Soaring Eagle, Jayson Hall and Jayce Pakootas; front row, from left, Alonzo Adams, Tyasin Burns and Vander Brown.

PHOENIX — Tyasin Burns has had a busy summer.

Two weeks ago, he helped the South to a 31-8 win over the North in the Les Schwab Bowl, and Saturday, July 17, he played a big part in helping the Young Guns to the tournament title at the Native American Basketball Invitational and Educational Youth Summit in Phoenix, Arizona.

“This tournament is a big deal,” said Burns, a recent graduate of Nixyaawii Community School. “It’s a good tournament and a good cause. We weren’t only representing Eastern Oregon, but the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Northwest. I’m proud of these guys.”

The Young Guns went 10-1 at the double elimination tournament, beating the Oklahoma Runners 61-56 in the championship game.

Burns also was named tournament MVP.

The NABI brings some of the best club basketball teams from reservations across the United States together. There were more than 150 tribal nations represented, and 436 boys and girls basketball games were played.

Young Guns

Travis Adams, who lives in Coulee City, Washington, put the team together, and the players had to meet certain criteria.

“I had a wish list of players,” Adams said. “I’m picky when it comes to building a team. Every player that I choose, I make sure they are super athletic, strong and quick.”

Burns was at the top of his list.

“Tyasin is a special athlete,” Adams said. “I have been coaching Tyasin on our Young Guns team for the past few years. He was actually the first guy I wanted to get a commitment from, and I built my team around him. He is always on his game. As a coach, you have to be on your game to handle him. He has never let me down.”

While Burns and Hodges Flemming (Gonzaga Prep) can pour in the points, Adams knew he needed a little size inside, and reached out to Nixyaawii’s 6-foot-4 Magi Moses.

“We had a team full of guys who were 6-0 to 6-3,” Adams said. “Every other team has 6-5, 6-6 powerful guys inside. I knew we needed to add that. We reached out to Magi. I knew he could handle those kinds of guys. Magi was a good pickup.”

Moses was happy to lend a hand.

“A lot of teams were bigger than us.” he said. “We tried to push the pace. Those bigger teams couldn’t really run with us. I was just there to guard the other big guy.”

Tournament time

The Young Guns breezed through their three pool play games, and advanced through the bracket to the semifinals. That’s where they got their first look at the Runners.

The Runners beat the Young Guns by eight, but the team rallied back with a win to secure a spot in the title game.

“We took that loss as a learning experience,” Adams said. “Coming into the title game, I tried not to focus on anything else. We were playing for each other and the people back home. I let Tyasin play at his full potential and get others involved at the same time.”

Burns scored 15 of his 25 points in the first half, including three 3-pointers.

“It’s always a good feeling when you win,” Burns said. “Every team was bigger than us, but not faster. It was a fun experience. It was different. We weren’t playing the same people we are used to. They were from all around the country. It was fun.”

Burns and Flemming led the Young Guns in scoring and leadership.

“Coming down to the last four games, it got pretty competitive between Tyasin and Hodges,” Adams said. “There was no ball hogging or individual stats, they went out, ran together and made everyone look good. It’s not hard for the guys who pick the MVP to see that.”

Being from the Northwest, the Young Guns didn’t bring any fans, but they picked up a few along the way.

“A bulk of the teams we played were from New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma,” Adams said. “Their fans travel with them. Lapwai (Idaho) had a girls team there, and they supported us.”

NBA Finals

A generous NABI Foundation donor secured tickets for the members of the boys and girls championship teams to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks on July 17.

Though it put a wrinkle in the team’s travel plans to get home, they graciously accepted the tickets to the game.

“More than watching the game, I was watching them,” Adams said of his players at the NBA game. “Getting to see them enjoy the game was special. Not many people get to go to these games.”

Both Burns and Moses had been to a couple of Portland Trail Blazers games, but those games did not compare to the NBA Finals.

“It was a pretty cool experience,” Moses said. “I don’t think I will ever get to go to another NBA Finals game.”

Jed Rose from Rolling Plains Construction was the kind benefactor behind the NBA tickets, and for helping the team make arrangements for getting home.

“He had heard we were having problems with flights and everything, and he said he would take care of everything,” Adams said. “By the time the game started, he had a hotel lined up and the airlines taken care of.”