The Potawatomi Fire, the only tribally-owned basketball team in the nation, received championship rings at a banquet Jan. 18 at the FireLake Arena.
In only its second season in The Basketball League, the Fire took home the National Championship at the end of the 2023 season when they defeated the St. Louis Griffins 98-89 in game 3 of the finals.
Not only did the team win the championship, but others received honors during the 2023 season as well.
Fire Coach Mark Dannhoff was named Coach of the Year, Chuck Guy was named Defensive Player of the Year, and the Fire Girls were named the best dance team in the Central Conference.
At the banquet and ceremony, championship rings were presented to the Fire players and Fire Girls, in addition to Dannhoff receiving his Coach of the Year ring and Guy receiving his ring for Defensive Player of the Year. Deshawn Munson also received his ring for being named 2022 MVP for TBL.
Fire sponsors were also honored at the event. Vyve Broadband and Chick-fil-A were presented with framed, autographed jerseys for their support. Pottawatomie Go (a health initiative also known as PoGo) and SSM Health (which provides the team’s trainers) were not able to attend but also received jerseys.
“We were humbled by the show of support from our fans and sponsors who came out to honor our players,” FireLake Arena General Manager David Qualls said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The Potawatomi Fire will kick off the 2024 season against the Enid Outlaws at 7 p.m., Friday, March 1. Tickets and the 2024 season schedule are available online at potawatomifire.com.
“We’re excited for this season,” Qualls said. “We’re loaded with the high caliber of players that can lead us to back-to-back championship wins.”
Find the Potawatomi Fire on Facebook, Instagram and X. Purchase tickets at potawatomifire.com/tickets.