GinaMarie Scarpa, Native American Basketball Invitational Foundation President and CEO, announced the cancellation of the 18th Annual Native American Basketball Invitational and 2nd Annual Educational Youth Summit, which were scheduled for June 21-27 in Phoenix.

"Due to the current COVID 19 pandemic, the NABI Foundation has moved forward with the full cancellation of the 18th Annual Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) and 2nd Annual Educational Youth Summit, scheduled for June 21-27, 2020 in Phoenix," Scarpa said in a press release.

"The decision was based on the health and welfare of all the youth and communities we served," Scarpa added.

The tournament featured 128 teams (64 girls, 64 boys) from across U.S. and Canada last year. After pool play, teams were seeded in Gold or Silver 32 team brackets for single elimination competition toward a National Championship.

NABI has become the largest all Native American Basketball Invitational and the first all Native American Basketball Tournament sanctioned by the NCAA (2007).

NABI is nationally recognized foundation providing educational programs for Native American high school students.

Scarpa said with the state of Arizona and many parts of the country still considered unsafe and social gatherings are restricted, due to the current virus, the NABI Foundation strongly feels a full cancelation is warranted.

Scarpa added registered teams will have the option of a full refund or be automatically entered into the 2021 NABI. She said all teams will receive a communication pn the options in the next week.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez issued an order for a 57-hour curfew for the second time this month.

The 57-hour curfew begins this Friday, April 17, 2020, from 8 p.m. and concludes on Monday, April 20, 2020 at 5 a.m. Navajo Nation police will set up road blocks, where vehicles will not allowed on the road during this curfew. Navajo Nation police will issue a citation to violators, where violators will be sentenced in court with an $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail.

"As this pandemic continues to move across our globe and bring devastation to our tribal nations, we are urging all our communities to abide by the preventative measures that are currently being put in place by our local, national and tribal governments in order to assist in containing and combating the virus," Scarpa said. "Please continue to protect our most vulnerable and precious elders."

Scarpa continued, "NABI promises to work on a 'Recovery & Relief' plan to ensure the success of our non-profit and the future of all NABI programs."

She said once restrictions are lifted, NABI Foundation hope to bring the Junior NABI Basketball Camps, in partnership with the Junior Suns and Junior Mercury, to the local tribal youth, as well as move forward with NABI Foundation fundraising events, including NABI Foundation Golf Classic (October 5, 2020) and first NABI Alumni Classic (adult 21 & over) basketball tournament (December 2020).

Scarpa said all proceeds from both events benfits the NABI Foundation and 2021 youth programs.

"We know this time comes with so much uncertainty, but we all get through this together," Scarpa said. "On behalf of rhe NABI Foundation Board of Directors and all our staff, our prayers are with all our tribal nations."