PABLO — It’s American Indian Higher Education Consortium tournament time, and SKC men’s coach Zach Camel knows what that means - his team can get its first championship in front of the home crowd and take the fourth win in five years, or miss out like last year.

The most important thing, Camel said, is that his team achieves success as the SKC program has come to define it. This year gives the players a unique opportunity to do that, hosting the tournament for the first time ever.

“I was telling the guys, ‘this is our house and these are our dreams and it’s all about making these positive memories, stuff you can keep for the rest of your life and share with your kids,’” Camel said. “That’s what we’re all about.”

Top priority will be peaking at the right time, Camel said.

“We have a lot of young guys, and we’re just trying to make sure they know how to win,” Camel said. “I just want to hold them back so they don’t peak to early and they make sure they let it all out at the right time this tournament.”

Camel said it’s a long weekend, with three games to fight through during pool play before the bracketed competition even begins.

SKC’s John Young is the only returning player. Camel needs Young’s leadership to come through along with veteran-like performances from all of his other first-timers, he said.

Among expectations are consistent play from well-rounded Sonny Eppinette and big numbers from Dane Fisher, who tends to lead on the scoreboard.

“I expect Dane to do what he does and score.” Camel said. “He’s a scorer and the team’s been good at finding him.”

He also expects Young and Kaloko Lonefight-Iu to be the energy players they have been all year.

Another player who makes SKC’s pressure defense churn is Tim Wolfe,  known for pick-pocketing the rock and delivering it to the rim for transition points.

With guard Casey Weston returning from a hand injury after a month, Camel is happy to see him back in the lineup. 

Finally, Camel looks for efficient catch-and-shoot 3-point production from Jonathan Allen, and continued contributions from newcomers Jordan Longtimesleeping and Andre Domebo, who have made quite an impression on both ends of the court since joining the team in the second half.

Camel is familiar with the competition - as familiar as he can be, he said.

Who comes and who they bring is always a bit of the mystery come AIHEC time, SKC being one of the teams’ that consistently attends and usually brings the best of its game. In turn, the Bison have lost only two games in the last five years, both in championships.

There are three teams that will be dangerous for sure, besides his Bison, Camel said. 

One is Turtle Mountain Community College out of Belcourt, N.D., which beat the Bison in the AIHEC championship in 2005 at Turtle Mountain, after SKC started the game on a 11-0 scoring spree. Foul trouble and a short roster contributed to the loss, Camel said.

Blackfeet Community College, which snagged a win from SKC in Pablo and Northwest Indian College are the other teams he’s most concerned with, although Camel warned, come tournament time, anything can happen.

There are a total of 12 teams in the men’s tournament, divided into three pools. The Bison play Chief Dull Knife College our of Lame Deer, MT, today at 10:30 a.m., Sinte Gleska College our of Rosebud, S.D. at 7:30 p.m. today, then Fort Peck Community College out of Fort Peck, Mont. tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. to complete pool competition.

Bracketed competition begins on Saturday morning.