Fond du Lac Ojibwe has taken advantage of a unique agreement while qualifying for its first boys basketball state tournament.
The pact between the reservation school and the Cloquet school district allows American Indian student-athletes enrolled at Cloquet to play for the Fond du Lac Ojibwe sports teams.
Born in 1990, the agreement aims to promote participation in extracurricular activities among American Indians, including athletics. It has to be renewed with the Minnesota State High School League every two years.
On the Ogichidaag team that will meet Canby in a Class A quarterfinal today at the Target Center in Minneapolis, juniors Cameron Thompson and Antonio Flores both attend Cloquet. Thompson averages about nine points per game, but he erupted for 20 in last week's Section 7A title game victory over South Ridge.
Another player, Jordan Diver, played on Cloquet's varsity as a freshman a year ago. This season, he leads Fond du Lac Ojibwe in scoring at about 25 points per game.
