The College Life
Area athletes living their dream at the next level

By Oree Foster
Staff Sports Writer

FORT DEFIANCE — Basketball is a passion for many on the Navajo Nation.

For three former area basketball standouts, that passion has opened doors for opportunities, while fulfilling their life-long dreams of competing in the sport they love at the college level.

Boise State University's Nadia Begay, University of Nevada-Las Vegas' Allison Holiday and Northern Arizona University's Levyna Ben are three local women's basketball players honing their skills on the NCAA Division I level.

Begay, who was a prominent player for the Kirtland Central Lady Broncos, is completing her college basketball career at Boise State in Idaho.

Begay has been a fixture at the guard position for Boise State. Throughout her four years with Boise State, Begay earned the reputation as a strong perimeter and three-point shooter.

Begay is averaging 10.3 points per game, while handing out 3.3 assists. She is shooting 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from the three-point arc.

Earlier this season, Begay played against Holiday during the Duel in the Desert tournament in Las Vegas.

Begay played 20 minutes, connecting on 3-of-8 field goal attempts, including a pair of three-pointers and going 1-of-1 from the charity stripe for nine points. She dished out two assists as Boise State defeated UNLV, 76-63.

Although Holiday did not score, she held her own at the guard position. She hauled down four rebounds and handed out one assist in 16 minutes of playing time.

She said it was an experience she will never forget.

"It is a great experience playing against another Native American, especially on the (Division I) level," she said. "I think (my recruitment) opens up a lot for the Navajo Nation. Every D-I coach I talked to during my recruitment, I'm like, 'Why don't you come check out this other player?'"

While one prominent Navajo player is completing her college basketball career, two other Navajo hoopsters are beginning their promising careers.

UNLV head coach Regina Miller calls Holiday "a very smart player who can score from anywhere on the court as well. I would compare her to a Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns two-time MVP) type of guard, and we are very excited to have her on the team this year."

New Mexico head coach Don Flanagan, who began his coaching career at Window Rock High School, said, "She (Allison Holiday) can play at this level. She did a good job. As a freshman, she has a bright future."

Holiday, who guided the Monument Valley Lady Mustangs to the 2006 Arizona state championship, received compliments from Flanagan at the conclusion of the New Mexico/UNLV contest won by the Lobos, 77-56, at The Pit in Albuquerque before 13,849 spectators last Saturday.

Holiday, off-guard/point guard, played 25 minutes and scored seven points which included a three-pointer and a steal that she turned into a basket. She hauled down four rebounds, including two on both ends of the floor. Holiday handed out three assists and recorded a pair of steals.

"I was hoping we could pull off a win, but I knew New Mexico is tough on their home floor and they are talented," Holiday said. "They hit some key three-pointers in the first half. My coach reminds me that I have to be ready to play. I was ready. I hit a three-pointer and I stole the ball from New Mexico's best ballhandler and scorer."

Holiday said playing before a large crowd (13,849), including thousands of Native Americans at The Pit made her play hard.

"It's great to have the support and encouragement from the crowd, including Native Americans," Holiday remarked. "Although we lost, I felt comfortable on the floor. I wasn't nervous. I really wanted to play. When my coach sent me in, I was ready."

UNLV dropped to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain West Conference.

"We play in the tough Mountain West Conference," Holiday said. "Utah and BYU are the top two teams in the conference. We played them tough, but we lost to both Utah and BYU. Utah is undefeated (7-0) in conference. I scored six points and logged 23 minutes against Utah. We lost to Utah, 49-37, but I felt I played well against them. There is so much talent in NCAA Division I women's basketball. I am enjoying playing, but I'm not enjoying losing. We will get better."

UNLV continues its' season the remainder of January, the entire month of February and completes the campaign March 3. The Mountain West Conference tournament is scheduled for March 6-10 at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas.

Ben, who helped lead the Winslow Lady Bulldogs to back-to-back state championships in 2003-04 and 2004-05, comes off the bench to provide the spark for NAU.

Ben says she has accepted her role as a reserve.

"I am making the transition from high school to college basketball," she said. "I've had a rough season this far. I've had a medical issue, as well as family issues. I've taken care of the issues. My mind is on basketball and I'm ready to play."

NAU head coach Laurie Kelly said Ben has high expectations.

"Levyna is used to success and played at a premier high school program," she said. "Her strength for us will no doubt be her strong perimeter shooting skills. She's good off the dribble, handles the ball really well, plays hard and runs the floor hard. Her adjustment will be learning the offenses and adjusting to the college game, which is an adjustment for any freshman."

Ben said her main adjustment is time management. She said when not practicing basketball, she is in class.

"Every day we have a set schedule," she said. "My schedule begins about six in the morning with conditioning, then classes from eight until about two in the afternoon. Then weightlifting, team meeting, basketball practice, dinner and study hall."

Ben said she is making the transition well.

"At the college level, they take care of you," she noted. "In return you have to produce in the classroom and on the basketball floor. With a scholarship, the school is investing in you to be productive as a student/athlete."

Begay, Holiday and Ben are proving that Native Americans, including Navajos, can and will continue to play at the NCAA Division I level.