- Rezball
Rezball, short for reservation ball, is the term used to describe the avid Native American following of
basketball and in some areas the style of play of their Native American teams.tyle of Play
Rezball is transition-based basketball that forces tempo with aggressive play, quick scoring (or at least shooting) and assertive defense that looks to force turnovers through pressing or half-court traps. There are slight variations from program to program. Keys to a good rezball offense are sound fundamentals and being in very good condition.
Following
The
Apache and Navajo tribes in northeasternArizona and northwesthernNew Mexico are home to several high schools. In these areas basketball reigns supreme, and towns come to a standstill during basketball season. In Arizona, 3 of the top six largest crowds at a boys basketball game are rezball games (regardless of school size), with the second highest ever being a game between an Apache powerhouse and a Navajo powerhouse.1. 16,010 Phoenix Shadow Mountain 81, Tempe Corona del Sol 56 1996 (America West Arena)
2. 16,010 Tuba City 66, Whiteriver Alchesay 60 2000 (America West Arena)
3. 15,379 Phoenix Shadow Mountain 79, Centrallia, Illinois 76 1995 (Kiel Center / St. Louis)
4. 14,270 Tuba City 69, Coolidge 57 2001 (America West Arena)
5. 14,219 Tuba City 65, Winslow 62 2001 (America West Arena)
6. 14,123 Tempe McClintock 71, Phoenix Brophy Prep 67 1986 (Arizona State University) [http://www.aiaonline.org/athletics/archives.php]Also the top three largest crowds for a girl's game were reservation teams.
16,010 Winslow 40, Monument Valley 39 2000 (America West Arena / Semifinals)
10,588 Window Rock 53, Winslow 47 1992 (Walkup Skydome)
10,000 Winslow 76, Monument Valley 69 2004 (America West Arena) [http://www.aiaonline.org/athletics/archives.php]NABI
Every year the
Ak-Chin Indian Community ,Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation ,Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community host theNative American Basketball Invitational , an all native tournament sponsored by thePhoenix Suns and Nike. In its third year, it has become recognized as the premier all-native tournament in North America. It hosts 60+ teams from all over the U.S. and Canada, and is instrumental in showcasing the talent of Native American teams to college recruiters, most of whom would not travel to the remote reservation towns to watch them play. [http://www.nabihoops.com/2007/]Modern Reservation Teams
East Fork High School , Whiteriver, ArizonaMagdalena High School ,Magdalena, New Mexico Tsé Yí Gai High School ,Smith Lake, New Mexico Cibecue High School ,Cibecue, Arizona Shonto Preparatory ,Shonto, Arizona Jemez Valley High School ,Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico St. Michael High School ,St. Michaels, Arizona Pine Hill High School ,Pinehill, New Mexico Ft. Thomas High School ,Fort Thomas, Arizona Pima High School ,Pima, Arizona Salt River High School ,Scottsdale, Arizona Navajo Pine High School ,Navajo, New Mexico Dulce High School ,Dulce, New Mexico Ramah High School ,Ramah, New Mexico Rough Rock High School ,Rough Rock, Arizona Baboquivari High School ,Sells, Arizona Newcomb High School ,Newcomb, New Mexico Red Mesa High School ,Teec Nos Pos, Arizona San Carlos High School ,San Carlos, Arizona Piñon High School ,Piñon, Arizona Valley High School ,Sanders, Arizona Cuba High School ,Cuba, New Mexico Crownpoint High School ,Crownpoint, New Mexico Zuni High School ,Zuni, New Mexico Rehoboth High School ,Rehoboth, New Mexico Many Farms High School ,Many Farms, Arizona Tohatchi High School ,Tohatchi, New Mexico Greyhills Academy ,Tuba City, Arizona Hopi High School ,Keams Canyon, Arizona Parker High School ,Parker, Arizona Thoreau High School ,Thoreau, New Mexico Alchesay High School ,Whiteriver, Arizona Ganado High School ,Ganado, Arizona Holbrook High School ,Holbrook, Arizona
Winslow High School,Winslow, Arizona Window Rock High School ,Ft. Defiance, Arizona
Bloomfield High School,Bloomfield, New Mexico
River Valley High School,Mojave Valley, Arizona Tuba City High School ,Tuba City, Arizona Bernalillo High School ,Bernalillo, New Mexico Monument Valley High School ,Monument Valley, Arizona Shiprock High School ,Shiprock, New Mexico
Central High School,Kirtland, New Mexico Chinle High School ,Chinle, Arizona
Page High School ,Page, Arizona Coconino High School ,Flagstaff, Arizona Gallup High School ,Gallup, New Mexico Farmington High School ,Farmington, New Mexico Miscellaneous
Jerry Stackhouse saw rezball when he was a senior in high school and he said he had never seen basketball played the way they played it, and that it was by far the quickest, most entertaining style he had ever seen.External links
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