GREAT FALLS — Montana’s basketball community and tribal nations are mourning the loss of Spike Bighorn, a trailblazing athlete, referee and respected leader who passed away Sunday in Oklahoma City. He was 65.
Bighorn, a Brockton High School star who scored more than 1,700 points in just 78 career games, went on to become one of the first Native American referees to officiate in a state tournament in Montana. His pioneering role opened doors for many of Native officials who followed.
“I always looked up to Spike,” said longtime official Pat Armstrong, who now works championship games himself. “He was one of the reasons why I aspired to be an official. Just the impact he had on Native American officials was big.”
WATCH THE VIDEO:
When Bighorn first stepped onto the court as an MOA referee in the 1980s, Native American officials were a rarity.
“There was maybe two or three, maybe even four Native American officials in the state,” Armstrong said. “When people saw Spike Bighorn refereeing at the state tournaments, it just felt like a sense of pride.”
Fellow 2018 Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Wetzel remembers being a young gym rat and watching Bighorn command the court.
“We would always cheer him on because he was a native ref and you didn’t have a whole lot of that back in the day,” Wetzel said. “Spike was a pioneer of the MOA. He was a trailblazer for Indian Country and officiating.”
Bighorn wasn’t just visible — he was respected. Coaches, players, and officials across the state admired his calm demeanor and communication skills.
“He knew the game really well. He was stellar,” Wetzel said. “Every time I saw him, he had what we would call good medicine.”
That presence led him to decades of high-level assignments and statewide recognition.
“Spike was definitely one of the best, if not the best, in the state of Montana,” Armstrong said.
Beyond basketball, Bighorn was a respected leader in tribal and federal government. He served as Chairman of the Fort Peck Tribal Nations and later held leadership roles within the Bureau of Indian Affairs, specializing in education.
“He was tribal chairman, he was well revered in Indian Country,” said 2024 Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and friend Mike Chavez. “He was able to step in both worlds — on the reservation and off — and do well in both.”
His influence extended far beyond the court or the council chambers. For many young Native athletes, his example of leadership and achievement became a roadmap.
“His impact made me who I am today,” Wetzel said. “I’m a business owner, a CEO of a clinic in Missoula. Spike Bighorn had a lot to do with that. I’ll be forever grateful for his leadership.”
News of his passing sparked an immediate outpouring across social media from a variety of communities. It’s a testament to the amount of lives he touched.
“You develop a sense of respect and love for your brothers and sisters in stripes,” Armstrong said. “The outpouring toward Spike … it’s amazing the hearts he touched.”
