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DOWAGIAC — The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians recently announce a fundraising event to support Pokagon Youth and Dowagiac High School student athletes Devin Rock and Josh Winchester-Jones, who will be playing for Team Michigan Basketball in the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) which will take place July 15 to July 23, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The event takes place Saturday, May 6 at Southwestern Michigan College’s 1st Source Bank Fieldhouse, 58900 Cherry Grove Rd., Dowagiac. Doors open at noon with games beginning at 1 p.m.  The event is open to the public and attendees are encouraged to bring their family and friends to enjoy a day of basketball, 50/50 drawings, $1 half-court shots, raffles, food, and more.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will help Team Michigan with travel expenses.

NAIG Team Michigan Basketball is an Inter-Tribal roster consisting of players from five Tribes throughout Michigan, including the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, Sault St. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.  Each Tribe will be hosting their own fundraisers for their Team Michigan participants.

NAIG will unite more than 5,000 athletes from over 756 Indigenous Nations, hosting competitions in 16 sporting events. More information on NAIG can be found at https://naig2023.com/.