Men’s Basketball

Most basketball fans in the Northland will recognize the name Brady Fairbanks. He helped his Cass Lake-Bena squad to a 30-2 overall record, a perfect 14-0 Northland Conference title and its first ever trip to the Minnesota High School State championship game. Although his Panthers saw their championship dreams snapped on a last-second three-pointer, Fairbanks wowed crowds and was selected to the Minnesota State Tournament All-Tournament team. For his efforts, the highly-touted Fairbanks also earned All-Northland conference accolades, was named CLB and conference Most Valuable Player, earned Second Team All-State honors and was one of 2,500 high school players to be nominated as a McDonald’s All-American. Fairbanks leaves Cass Lake-Bena after a three-year career in which he set the school’s all-time scoring mark at nearly 2,000 points and helped his teams to an 84-11 record, 58-4 over the last two seasons, and two trips to the state tournament. He was also received the national high school player of the year award during the Native Elite Sports basketball camp during July 27-28, 2007. Coach Fairbanks played collegiately for 3 seasons at Bemidji State University where he was selected to the NSIC All-Freshman Team. Fairbanks finished his last season at Haskell Indian Nations University. Fairbanks led the conference in scoring and was second in rebounds. For his efforts Fairbanks was chosen as MCAC “Newcomer of the Year” and voted First Team All-Conference. He finished out his career as the first Haskell Men’s Basketball player to be chosen NAIA All-American.

The inaugural season was good to the Lakers program and saw Fairbanks lead the team to the 2013-2014 NIAC Regular Season Conference Championship and a third place finish in the end of the year tournament. The Lakers also placed three players on the All-Conference Team (Center Kyle Raisch, Guard Brandon Masten, and Guard Martin Wind) Wind also took home the NIAC Player of Year. Fairbanks capped off a memorable first year by taking home NIAC Coach of the Year

After coming back from a year of sabbatical leave to finish his degree, Coach Fairbanks is ready to take over the reins from Dave Northbird. Dave did an amazing job keeping the program moving in the right direction, and the Lakers plan on using that platform to jumpstart this year into the 16-17 Season.

Fairbanks has been hard at work recruiting players for both teams. His recruitment efforts will be helped by the credibility that comes from a very successful career at the high school, AAU, and college levels.

Personal: Born Aug. 11, 1989 in Minneapolis, Minn. Son of LeRoy Staples and Bonnie Fairbanks. Fairbanks and his daughter Skylar (3 Years old) reside in Bena, MN.

Players Biography

Name: Allis Tahahwah Year: 2 Major Declared: Liberal Ed Previous School: United Tribes Technical College Hometown: Toma, IA Height: 6' 1" Position: Guard Quote: "Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard"	Name: Alvin Wind #44 Year: 2 Major Declared: Carpentry Previous School: Cass Lake-Bena High School Hometown: Cass Lake Height: 6’ Position: Guard Quote: “What these young bloods have to understand is that this game has always been and will always be about Buckets” Bill Russell	Name: Arnold Kingbird Year: 1 Major Declared: Integrated Residential Builder Previous School: Cass Lake-Bena High School                                  Hometown: Cass Lake Height: 6' Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard Quote: "Nothing lasts forever, not even the struggle" Kevin Gates
Name: Damairay Birge Year: 1 Major Declared: A.A.S. - Business Management Previous School: Itasca Community College Hometown: Evanston, IL Height: 5" 7" Position: Point/Shooting Guard Quote: "All for one, one for all"	Name: David Jones #32 Year: 3 Major Declared: Integrated Residential Builder Previous School: Cass Lake-Bena High School Hometown: Cass Lake Height: 6' 3" Position: Center Quote:	Name: Eammon Tahahwah Year: 1 Major Declared: Liberal Ed Previous School: Hometown: Toma, IA Height: 6' Position: Guard/forward Quote:
Name: Javon Rogers Year: 1 Major Declared: Generals Previous School: FDLTCC Hometown: Toma, IA Height: 5' 10"' Position: Point/shooting guard Quote:	Name: Jerel Moore Year: 2 Major Declared: Liberal Education - STEM Previous School: Southeastern Community College Hometown: Meskwaki Settlement Iowa City Height: 6' 7" Position: Center Quote: “Shoot for the moon and if you fall at least your still amongst the stars"	Name: Matthew Rector  Year: 1 Major Declared: Law Enforcement Previous School: Pawhuska High School Hometown: Pawhuska, OK Height: 6' 1" Position: Point Guard, Shooting Guard Quote: "you don't play against opponents you play against the game of basketball' Bobby Knight
Name: Nate Howard #5 Year: 3 Major Declared: S.T.E.M. Previous School: Mesabi Range College Hometown: Cass Lake MN Height: 6' Position: SG, SF, 4 Guard  Quote: "Work hard or go home"	Name: Sam Kingbird Year: 1 Major Declared: Integrated Residential Builder Previous School: United Tribes Technical College Hometown: Ponemah Height: 6' Position: Guard Quote: