Thunderbirds Earn Post-Season Honors

After finishing as the number one seed in the West Region XIII and securing third place overall in the Mon Dak Athletic Conference, two United Tribes men's basketball players were honored by Region XIII and the Mon Dak Conference.

Jacolby Pearson earned Mon Dak All-Conference honors this season. Pearson averaged 12 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and finished third in the league with 3.5 assists per game. He made the most three-pointers in conference play with 38 and finished second overall with 68. Pearson's season high came in a 30-point performance, which included an impressive eight three-pointers in a 102-85 win during the final game of the Bismarck State and United Tribes rivalry.

Pearson was also named to the All-Region XIII team last season, where he helped guide his team to the Region XIII and District Championships. In a thrilling 94-91 overtime loss against South Arkansas Community College, Pearson scored 27 points and knocked down 7 of 9 three-pointers, showcasing his clutch shooting ability.

Houston Davis also capped off his Thunderbird career by being named to the All-Region XIII and All-Mon Dak Conference first teams for the second season in a row. Davis led the conference in scoring and finished 11th in the nation, averaging 23.4 points per game while shooting an impressive 53% from the field. But scoring wasn't the only skill the 6'5 guard/forward showcased this season. He also ranked second in the league in assists per game (3.6), fourth in rebounds per game (7.8), and fifth in steals (1.3). He led the conference in both field goals made (232) and free throws made (173), shooting at an outstanding 84.4% clip. His 173 made free throws were the third most in the nation.

Davis had eight double-doubles on the season and posted a career-high 43 points in a game against Williston State College, where he went a perfect 14-14 from the free-throw line.

As one of the most decorated players in United Tribes history, Davis finishes his career with 1,246 points—the most by a Thunderbird since Rob McClain Jr., who scored 1,305 points from 2017-2019. In addition to his individual achievements, Davis played a pivotal role in leading his team to their first Region and District Championships in 22 years, culminating in an appearance at the NJCAA National Tournament in his freshman season.