RAPID CITY - Pine Ridge opened defense of its 2006 Lakota Nation Invitational girls basketball championship with a 76-16 thumping of Crazy Horse Wednesday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

The Lady Thorpes jumped to an 18-2 first quarter lead and never looked back.

"We didn't look at this game at not being a test," said Pine Ridge coach Lyle "Dusty" LeBeau. "We were ready for anything."

With four players at 5-foot-11 or taller, Pine Ridge dominated the paint, out-rebounding Crazy Horse 39-21. A majority of Pine Ridge's scoring came inside, fed by 21 offensive boards.

"At this tournament anything can happen, so we didn't overlook Crazy Horse," LeBeau said. "They played a lot better defense today than they did in the last two games."

Defense or not, all but two players on Pine Ridge's roster scored. Lacey Weston led the way with 15 points, with Bree Big Crow adding 14 points.

Keisha Brewer had nine points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Thorpes.

"We'll put this one behind us and concentrate on the next one," LeBeau said. "As they go, they get a little tougher."

Kassy Randall, a 5-foot-5 freshman guard, scored seven points for Crazy Horse, including the Chiefs lone 3-pointer. Britt Chasing Horse grabbed seven rebounds for Crazy Horse.

The Thorpes, winners of 10 of the past 24 LNI girls championships, are without the services of last year's tournament most valuable player Christian Janis, out until at least January for personal reasons.

Pine Ridge also suffered a potential blow when 6-1 center Shaina Lays Bad went down with a twisted knee in the fourth quarter.

Pine Ridge, 3-0, advances to play Custer in the Makosica championship round at 4 p.m. today at Rapid City Central's Naasz Gymnasium.

Crazy Horse, 0-3, goes into the Paha Sapa consolation round playing White River at 9 a.m. today at the St. Thomas More gymnasium.

GAME 2

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte 82, Heart of the Earth, Minn., 11

RAPID CITY - Cheyenne-Eagle Butte got 55 points from its bench as the Braves rolled to an 82-11 win over Heart of the Earth, Minn., Friday at the civic center.

Allysa White Bull of Cheyenne-Eagle Butte scored 18 points to lead all scorers. Colby Lesmeister followed with 12 points and Lacy Leaf chipped in 10 points for the winners.

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte hit 51 percent of its shots and saw 13 of its players score points. The Braves held a 42-23 rebounding advantage.

Cecilia Harrison led Heart of the Earth with six points.

GAME 3

Red Cloud 98, Lower Brule 14

RAPID CITY - Red Cloud drained 12 3-pointers on its way to a 98-14 win over Lower Brule during first-round play Wednesday at the 2007 Lakota Nation Invitational.

Five Crusaders scored in double figures, with Marque Lunderman's 18 points leading the way. Josey Johnson followed with 14, Shaina Clifford and Ida Clarke had 13 each, and Saige Pourier finished with 12 points.

Pourier pulled down a team-high seven rebounds to lead Red Cloud, which led 20-2 after the first quarter and 52-8 at halftime.

Kassandra Estes led Lower Brule with six points and eight rebounds.

Red Cloud triggered 92 shots and made 37 for a 40.2 percent shooting rate. Lower Brule took only 33 shots and made seven, a 21.2 shooting percentage.

GAME 4

St. Francis 85, Flandreau Indian 49

RAPID CITY - Kali Brave netted 22 points to lead St. Francis to an 85-49 defeat of Flandreau Indian on Wednesday at the civic center in the first round of the Lakota Nation Invitational girls basketball tournament.

Roseanne Eagle Road chipped in 15 points and Marci Rodriquez scored 14 for the Lady Warriors. Brave grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for the winners.

Tashina Leekity scored 10 points to lead Flandreau Indian. Ashley Dionne and Renae Ford followed with eight points each.

GAME 5

Standing Rock, N.D. 72, Takini 52

RAPID CITY - Shauna Long dropped in 27 points as the Standing Rock, N.D., Lady Warriors bested Takini 72-52.

Ryan White Bull added 14 for the North Dakotans in the win.

Kayla Turning Heart posted a double-double for the Skyhawks as she posted 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Krista Bear Stops added nine for Takini.

There were 56 turnovers in the game as Takini committed 35 of them.

GAME 6

Todd County 69, Crow Creek 35

RAPID CITY - Todd County jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as the Falcons soared to a 69-35 win over the Crow Creek Chieftans in an opening round game.

Michael DeCory scored 11 points and Shelby Hunger added 10 for Todd County, who shot 54 percent from the floor.

The Falcons led at the first three quarter stops by the scores of 13-4, 34-15 and 48-27.

Jolonna Sazue scored nine points to lead Crow Creek.

Crow Creek shot just 25 percent from the floor, as they hit on only 12-of-47 shots.

Crow Creek turned the ball over 36 times.

GAME 7

Little Wound 46, Hill City 39

RAPID CITY - Little Wound's balance proved to be too much for Hill City to overcome as the Mustangs registered a hard-fought

46-39 decision Wednesday during the opening round of play at the Lakota Nation Invitational.

Nichelle Red Owl led Little Wound with 10 points. Kirsten Clifford and Kanisha Rooks followed with eight points each. Nine Mustangs scored during the first-round win.

Clifford led Little Wound with nine rebounds.

Hill City's Stephanie Burleson scored a game-high 15 points. Carly Asheim chipped in 11 points.

Burleson pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for the Rangers, which held a 43-33 advantage on the boards.

GAME 8

Custer 45, White River 40

RAPID CITY - Three players scored in double figures as Custer edged White River 45-40 in first-round girls LNI basketball action.

Custer held a 13-11 lead after a quarter. White River led 22-19 at the half and the game was tied at 29-all after three.

Megan Harkin led the Wildcats with 13 points. Claire Carson downed 11 and Nicole Bryant netted 10. Bryant and Shawna Gibson grabbed nine rebounds each to pace the victors.

Sami Gillen led the scoring for the Lady Tigers with nine points. Shelby Horsley and Maci Gillen each added eight points.