The Dupree boys' basketball team stunned South Dakota basketball fans last season with its upset against previously undefeated Faith in the Region 8B title game. Dupree, which was not ranked at all last season, finished seventh at the State B boys' basketball tournament in Aberdeen. It was Dupree's first state tourney berth since 1984.
"We didn't get much respect I would say," Dupree coach Jim Hood said. "I was never in doubt that we couldn't do it last year."
The Tigers lost only two players from last year's 22-4 team and have their sights set on another trip to the state tourney this year. However, now the Tigers will have the target on their back - and they know that.
"What I have been trying to do is just tell them that we have got to prove our point again and get back there," Hood said. "We know that we are the targets out here. Every team is going to play their best game against us. We can't take one game lighter than the other. It is high school basketball; anything can happen."
It is early, but so far so good for the Tigers. They are currently 2-0 and are receiving votes in the latest South Dakota Sportswriters Association Class B boys' basketball poll. But it will get tougher for Dupree coming up. The Tigers play Rapid City Christian tonight. Dupree will then play North Star, N.D., next Thursday at Wachs Arena at the Northern State boys' basketball classic. North Star is currently ranked No. 1 in the North Dakota Class B boys' basketball poll. The next day, the Tigers will face Region 3B contender Herreid-Selby Area at the Rotary Classic in Mobridge.
"The kids know what they can do and what is expected of them and things are going to get better and better for us as the season goes along," Hood said.
The core of the Tigers have been staples of the program for the past few years. And that familiarity of playing basketball with each other has shown on the court. After its surprise run to state last season, Dupree carried that momentum into the off-season. The Tigers held their own at team camps in Spearfish and Rapid City.
Hood had Dupree put in the Class AA division in those camps in the Black Hills. The Tigers finished fifth out of 15 teams at the camp in Spearfish in June. Dupree won the team camp in Rapid City in July. Its division had nine Class AA schools.
"The confidence was really picked up during the summer," Hood said. "It was just a big confidence builder knowing that they can play with tougher teams."
And a group of Tigers play on a Native American traveling team during the summer named Young Nation. The Dupree members of that traveling team include: Nate and Tate Widow, Kash Deal, Trenton Pretty Weasel, Hosteen Rave and Jeffrie Shaving. Young Nation has competed at tournaments in Eagle Butte and Fort Yates, N.D., in the past. The team played at the Queen City Classic in Spearfish after last season. Members of the team played at the Native American Basketball Invitational in Phoenix, Ariz., this past summer.
That makes it fun for Hood to coach players that are involved with basketball year round.
"It is just great to coach those type of players," Hood said. "They have confidence in themselves. They know the game. They get along very well. It is a great thing to have a team like that."
The Dupree fans have taken notice. Dupree, a town of about 500 people, has established a solid fan-base in the past few years for its boys' basketball team. And the Tigers not only have a solid following from Dupree, but from other surrounding communities.
"I remember when I started here it was just a few parents that would make it to the games," Hood said. "Now, we are getting a real good following. We get the regular basketball fans that are coming to our games on the road and at home. That has been a big change."