61 year-old Diné basketball player not slowing down, set to compete in international competition

BURNSIDE JUNCTION, Ariz.

Harry J. Yazzie didn’t see this coming.

Five years ago he competed in his first Senior World Games in St. George, Utah, and after it was over he was invited to play in the Masters Basketball Association.

The MBA is a nonprofit organization that allows players 35 years and up from across the nation to play in a highly competitive basketball tournament. According to its website, the MBA abides by NCAA basketball rules, which includes two 20-minute halves and a 35-second shot clock.

Since then Yazzie, 61, has been involved with the MBA and for the last two years he’s played for two different teams. He played in the 60-plus division with The Ward and in the 55 age group with the Sports Power International team.

“The guys that I play with are mostly ex-NBA and ex-college players,” Yazzie said of the MBA league. “Some of them played internationally.”

Yazzie said he got involved with the MBA through the senior games when one of the California teams he played against took note of his playing ability, especially with how he carried the team by penetrating the ball inside.

“They thought I played an all-around game and that’s just the way I play,” said Yazzie, who earned a gold medal last year at the senior world games.

On August 12, Yazzie is leaving his homestead in Burnside Junction, Ariz., to play in another masters basketball tournament in Chicago before he reports to Orlando, Florida on August 21 for an international basketball world championship.

That tournament is sponsored by the Federation of International Master Basketball Association, which has 23 teams entered in the 55 age group.

Yazzie, who opted out of playing in his own age division, said he’s excited about playing in the FIMBA tournament as his Sports Power team is scheduled to play Germany, Costa Rica and Peru in pool play.

“It’s going to be great to play with and against them,” he said. “There are still a lot of good players out there. This is going to be against some of the world’s best players, and it’s going to be an experience for me.

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