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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Sequoyah High School (SHS) girls and boys basketball teams are headed to the "Big House" to compete for the 3A basketball state championship. Both teams have been named the number one seed in the 3A division, after making it through three weeks of play-offs undefeated and finishing the season ranked in the number one spots.

"We set our goal at the first of year to make it to the state tournament," said Larry Grigg, boys' basketball coach and SHS athletic director. "We've achieved it and now we have to re-evaluate and try to win it."

The SHS basketball teams are not strangers to the state tournament and the level of competition they will find there. This is the fourth appearance in the tournament for both teams. The boys' team won first place in 2003 and suffered a devastating first-round loss in 2004. The girls' team had a three-year run at state from 2000-02, but has yet to capture the gold ball.

"I think both teams have fire in their eyes," said Gina Stanley, SHS superintendent. "We want the best for these kids. They've worked hard and they deserve it, our fans deserve it. We'll be there to cheer them on, every step of the way."

The SHS girls will play against Oklahoma City Millwood on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Midwest City High School. The boys will meet Dewey, Thursday at 7 p.m. at the State Fair Arena.

SHS will also be taking buses of fans to Oklahoma City to watch the games. The buses will leave at 9 a.m. Thursday morning and will travel to both the girls and boys games. Cost for the ride is $5 and does not include meals or tickets to the games. For more information about the bus rides, call Sequoyah High School at (918) 456-0631.

Sequoyah High School "Home of the Indians!" P.O. Box 520, Tahlequah, OK 74465             Sequoyah High School Alumni P.O. Box 187, Park Hill, OK 74451-0187 Sequoyah High School, an Indian boarding school, originated in 1871, when the Cherokee National Council passed an act setting up an orphan asylum to take care of many orphans that came out of the Civil War. Sequoyah High School's approximate 300 enrollment represents 42 tribes and 14 different states. Students are eligible to attend if they are members of federally recognized Indian tribes or one-fourth blood descendants of such members.