RAPID CITY - What better timing for basketball fans than to have White River basketball teams make their first appearance at the Lakota Nation Invitational?

Barring injury or other calamity, fans at the 31st Annual LNI will witness state history when White River's Louie Krogman sets the all-time state boys high school career scoring mark sometime during the four-day tournament.

Krogman, a senior, is just 61 points shy of the 2,825 points scored by Don Jacobsen of Lake Norden from 1953-57.

Already signed to play at the University of South Dakota next year, Krogman will likely set the new standard in Thursday's second-round play or during Friday's semifinals.

Sooner is better than later, as far as White River coach Eldon Marshall is concerned.

"Hopefully, he'll break the record and get that out of the way," Marshall said. "It'll be a great place for him to show what he can do."

The Tigers, second-seeded in the 16-team field, face No. 15 Lower Brule in the first round today at St. Thomas More High School.

White River is a good match for the LNI, Marshall said.

"White River is 80 to 90 percent Native American, so it's great for our school, the kids and our town to be there," he said.

While much of the attention will be on Krogman, Marshall said Red Cloud is the team to watch on the boys side.

"We're fortunate to be seeded No. 2. Red Cloud is the deserved No. 1 seed," he said. "They're a good team, athletic, mature and well-coached."

The Tigers girls team is ninth-seeded and takes on No. 8 Custer in today's first round at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

White River is one of two new schools filling the 32-team LNI field this year.

St. Thomas More of Rapid City and St. Stephens High School of Saint Stephens, Wyo., were replaced by White River and Flandreau Indian School of Flandreau.

The Flandreau Indian boys team, 2-0 after season-opening wins over Tiospa Zina and Crow Creek, is 14th-seeded and will play No. 3 Todd County today at 1 p.m. at St. Thomas More High.

The girls team is looking for its first win after opening the season with three losses, to Canton, Tiospa Zina and Crow Creek. The Lady Indians, 13th-seeded, will play No. 4 St. Francis at 2:30 p.m. today at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center's Don Barnett Arena.

Top seed and defending LNI champion Pine Ridge opens the girls tournament against No. 16 Crazy Horse at 10 a.m. at the civic center.

As athletic director and coach for the Tigers, Marshall said some juggling was required to get the four games of the LNI into the schedule. He said he's looking forward to getting a lot of floor time for his teams.

"We'll have almost a third of our schedule in before Christmas," he said. "That's a quick start for us."

Today's games

GIRLS DIVISION

First round

Pine Ridge vs. Crazy Horse, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 10 a.m.

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte vs. Heart of the Earth, Minn., at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 11:30 a.m.

Red Cloud vs. Lower Brule, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 1 p.m.

St. Francis vs. Flandreau Indian, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 2:30 p.m.

Standing Rock, N.D., vs. Takini, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 4 p.m.

Todd County vs. Crow Creek, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 5:30 p.m.

Little Wound vs. Hill City, at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 7 p.m.

Custer vs. White River, at civic center, 8:30 p.m.

BOYS DIVISION

First round

Red Cloud vs. Crazy Horse, at St. Thomas More Gymnasium, 10 a.m.

White River vs. Lower Brule, at St. Thomas More Gymnasium, 11:30 a.m.

Todd County vs. Flandreau Indian, at St. Thomas More Gymnasium, 1 p.m.

Hill City vs. Custer, at St. Thomas More Gymnasium, 2:20 p.m.

Heart of the Earth, Minn., vs. Takini, at Goodell Gymnasium, 4 p.m.

Standing Rock, N.D., vs. Crow Creek, at Goodell Gymnasium, 5:30 p.m.

Little Wound vs. St. Francis, at Goodell Gymnasium, 7 p.m.

Cheyenne-Eagle Butte vs. Pine Ridge, at Goodell Gymnasium, 8:30 p.m.