Albuquerque youth hoops program Own It wins national title

Over three days in Arizona in late June, significant progress was made toward achieving Donavon Barney’s ongoing basketball mission.

Founded in 2023, Own It is a youth hoops program based in Albuquerque that primarily serves Native American girls. It has since expanded to include players outside of Indigenous heritage, but the primary objective has remained the same.

“Our foundation is built on promoting youth athletes to become elite athletes, supporting their journey mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically,” Barney said.

Barney himself grew up on the Navajo reservation shooting baskets with his sister on a dirt court at a hoop erected by his father — his family’s own version of “Rez Ball.” He played in high school at Window Rock High in Arizona and though he didn’t make it to the next level, attending camps at places like UCLA and the University of Arizona opened his eyes to what basketball could be beyond the reservation. His own experience is part of the inspiration behind Own It.

“Our goal is to empower these young athletes to push their limits, support their teammates, and strive for success on and off the court,” Barney said. “We want them to know their coaches and teammates have their back, creating a larger family and sisterhood where they can celebrate who they are, step out of their comfort zones, and embrace growth.”

The girls of Own It had a significant opportunity for growth when they traveled to Mesa, Arizona, on June 27-29 for the Native American Junior Nationals, the largest Indigenous basketball tournament in the world. More than 400 teams of various age levels competed — including three from the Own It program (one from fifth-sixth grade and two from seventh-eighth grade).

“This wasn’t just about competing; it was a crucial opportunity for our athletes to test their skills against national-level competition, moving beyond our local and regional playing field,” Barney said.

The girls fifth-sixth grade team did especially well, capturing a national championship in the platinum bracket with a 25-16 victory in the finals over the Wolfpack, a squad from Sulphur, Oklahoma. The experience wasn’t without adversity, however. Own It’s youngest squad lost its first two games on June 27 before winning five in a row.

“The first day I think it was all nerves,” said Own It assistant coach Kyle Parisian. “Chemistry was one thing for sure because some of these girls play on different levels of teams, and this was the first time some of these girls were grouped together. They just dug down, dug deep, responded with heart and grit and accepted their roles as team members trusting each other.”

Own It guard Aisha Barney — Donavon’s daughter — was awarded MVP for the fifth-sixth grade platinum division. Parisian says that Own It started the tournament final without Aisha because she was playing a level up with one of the older teams. Own It was down eight points when Aisha returned to the fifth-sixth grade contest and helped lead her team to victory.

“I called a timeout to get the girls’ nerves to calm down and adjust our strategy,” Parisian recalled. “As soon as the timeout was over, Aisha came back and said, ‘I’m ready to go in.’ She just commanded the team, commanded the game and we ended up winning.”

Meanwhile, one of Own It’s seventh-eighth grade entries earned runner-up in the platinum division, and both Essien Vandeveer and Saige Benally received all-star accolades for their efforts.

“This is a lot for not just us as a team, but for communities back home,” Parisian said of the experience. “They carry a lot of pride (and that’s) who we represent every time we step on the court.”

Barney notes that all of the Own It coaches are volunteers, and the basketball program is community-based, working with a number of organizations and coaches throughout the Duke City.

“We’ve experienced substantial growth and are now expanding our reach,” Barney said. “Our immediate goals include preparing our girls to compete at a national level, with some even getting the chance to play on shoe circuit platforms like Nike and adidas. This allows them to compete against national talent, not just New Mexico players, but athletes from across the country.”

Follow Own It on Instagram or email nmownit@gmail.com for information.