James Spotted Horse East Valley Year: Junior Sport: Basketball Position: Forward

East Valley has ventured north in the Frontier League standings since James Spotted Horse arrived from South Dakota.

Spotted Horse made crucial free throws in two consecutive wins last weekend as EV broke a 24-game league skid and began streaking in the other direction.

Spotted Horse’s two free throws with 9 seconds left Friday sank Colville 60-57. On Saturday, against Cheney, Spotted Horse scored 30 and sealed a 67-64 win with two free throws.

“Everybody was happy in the locker room, hugging and laughing,” Spotted Horse said of the streak-ending win over Colville.

Spotted Horse transferred to EV this year from a small school in Standing Rock, N.D. He lived on the Sioux reservation in South Dakota, 60 miles from the school.

His uncle in Spokane, concerned about violence on the reservation, invited James to trek westward.

“The thing that’s nice is that he’s blended in so well with the other kids,” said EV coach Richard King. “He doesn’t toot his horn and he’s not a glory hog.”

“I heard about (the Knights’ recent) losses, but I decided to try out for the team and see how it went,” said Spotted Horse, who is averaging 14 points per league game.

“He had the most uncanny feel for the game,” King said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo