RAPID CITY - The 32nd annual Lakota Nation Invitational begins today at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center with 16 boys and 16 girls basketball teams vying for this year's titles.

The LNI tournament will tip off at 10 a.m. today in both the Barnett Arena and the Ice Arena and will continue through Saturday. The girls championship game will be Saturday at 7 p.m. in the main arena and the boys title game will follow at 8:30 p.m.

The first game of the tournament will feature the two-time defending girls champion Pine Ridge battling Crazy Horse at the Barnett Arena. Pine Ridge enters the tourney as the favorite to win its third straight LNI title as its returns five starters from last season, including the 2007 LNI MVP Lacey Weston.

"I think we'd have to be considered the favorite coming in as the No. 1 seed, and the two-time defending champions," said Pine Ridge coach Dusty LeBeaux, "but there are a lot of good teams in the tournament and we're defiantly not going to be taking anyone lightly."

Last year's runner-up Red Cloud returns as the No. 2 seed this year and is the team many think can halt a third title for Pine Ridge. They return three starters from a year ago, including all-state player, Marque Lunderman.

"If we can put four games of really good defense together I like our chances," Red Cloud head coach Jerome LeBeaux said. "We sure would like to win this tournament, and if our defense steps up I think we can get back to that championship game."

Other teams expected to compete for the title in the girls' bracket, according to coaches, are Todd County, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, and Little Wound.

In the boys' bracket it is expected to be wide open this year.

Tipping off simultaneously with the girls' first game in the Ice Arena will be the boys' defending champion Red Cloud versus Takini High School. Red Cloud comes into the LNI as the No. 1 seed despite losing seven seniors. However, their head coach Matt Rama feels as if they've reloaded.

"We did lose a lot of players, but we have a lot of talent coming up," said Rama. "We're extremely athletic and really talented, but it is early in the season so anything can happen. We're just excited for the opportunity to get in there and see where we're at."

Rama considers White River as a team that could challenge for the title. They come in at the No. 2 seed for the second straight year after finishing runner-up to Red Cloud last season.

"Last year we had a pretty good showing," said White River head coach Eldon Marshall. "This year we go in as the No. 2 seed, but the seeding doesn't matter, we still have to go out and play. We have to win that first game and go from there. I think this year is going to be wide open."

Other teams expected to compete on the boys' side, according to coaches, are Custer, Pine Ridge, Little Wound, and Omaha Nation. Many coaches believe as many as seven or eight teams have a shot to win the title.