It was a frustrating night for the Hoopa Valley Warriors in more ways than one.
And it was a night that ended with a tribal elder being taken to hospital after ugly scenes marred the aftermath of the team’s 79-75 NorCal tournament loss at Pierce High in Arbuckle.
After a close matchup on the court, things got heated in the stands, with the Pierce High principal allegedly involved, and several police officers showing up at the gymnasium.
Hoopa head coach Tyler Mitchell, who was in the locker room with his players in the immediate aftermath of the game, said he didn’t see all of what transpired, but he described the scene as “chaotic” when he returned to the court.
Mitchell’s uncle, an 83-year-old tribal elder, was taken to hospital after being pushed to the ground.
There was no immediate word on his condition.
“These people should be ashamed of themselves for doing something like that,” Mitchell said. “It was completely out of line.”
Hoopa senior player Dennis Young confirmed to Humboldt Sports that the Pierce principal was involved in the post-game chaos, as has been reported on social media.
According to Young, the principal approached him and got in his face, and then began shouting at him unprovoked.
The ugly scenes came after an exciting game that went down to the wire, with the home team holding on for the win after a big second-half rally.
The Warriors led by as many as 16 in the third quarter.
For the third consecutive road playoff game, the foul count was extraordinarily lopsided against them, especially late in the game, with a count of 10-1 in the fourth quarter.
“I‘m fed up with it,” a clearly frustrated Mitchell said. “Any contact, they get to go to the line, and my guys get hacked and nothing. It gets old.”
George Navarro scored 24 points to lead the Warriors, closing out what has been a phenomenal season for the senior.
Wade Nixon added 17 points and Young 11, as the Hoopa boys finished the season with a record of 21-9, while making a trip to the NorCals for the first time in 15 years.
“I’m super proud of the boys and what they accomplished this season,” Mitchell said.
Categories: Basketball, Hoopa Valley
Boys played one hell of a game. Very proud that they made it this far. Team work. And all the hoopa fans that drove or ride the bus down to watch them. Way to go HOOPA WARRIOR’S. ###TEAM HOOPA ### all the way ###WARRIOR’S### you gots this…. ###(Miguelena)###
Hope Hupa does even better next year!
Playing all those Road games and having to deal with teams that want to not play them has got to be frustrating as all get up.
Just stay honest don’t create melodrama and definitely don’t lie about what transgressions occurred or didn’t occur because karma is always there looming over your head…
To the other team game well played. Lots of hard work and team work.
I agree. Great game!
Nothing new. Hoopa has been violated in sports for years. Biased referees, adults attacking our players, people being racist and I’m white! I see it although it’s 2019, these people still act like it’s the 1800’s! The principal should be fired, bad example, pierce school should have to forfeit the game. Extremely bad sportsmanship, by the supposed principal, leader of these kids. Bad bad bad all the way around!
I agree 100% Marcy! I’d see if charges could be brought against the person who pushed the elder… no one has the right to put their hands on someone else! Shame on those involved in such behavior! They may have won the game, it’s the warriors who are winning in life!
The principal should be arrested
EK finally commenting over here.
Mr. attorney at law, what would the charge be? Yelling at a student from another school? Or, is there factual evidence showing that he actually assaulted people and battered them?
Curious onlooker here…
Well said Marcy, you’ve seen it for many years!
Explain again why the other team has to Forfeit the game?
Racist refs…hmm, did a ref say something racist or make a racist gesture or is it just simply the number of fouls that were called are being challenged as excessive for one team and not the other…
Racism didn’t become an issue until after the game it reads and people made comments…
So far the facts only appear to show that some administrator or principal on campus was yelling at some student-athlete from Hupa… let’s focus on that first!
Interesting when the only racist word I heard was “hillbilly” from a parent of the Hoopa team who was Live on Facebook. Our population is 90% Hispanic so you may want to save that made up scenario for a different team. Better yet, save the use of that word for only when it applies. Pierce had more foul calls through the entire game and the count for the last quarter was grossly misstated. I am not sure why people need to make things up to fuel the fire of others. Both teams played an amazing game and congratulated each other afterwards. I am sure you are all proud of your boys, just like we are proud of ours. They are all excellent players who put everything they had into that game. Also, there is a big difference between accidentally bumping into someone and pushing. Everyone was concerned about the elder and we hope he is recovering well.
Fake News! As a reporter/writer, you have an obligation to receive all sides of a report before publishing an article. Especially one with this type of accusation. Did a Hoopa elder fall to the gym floor? Yes? Was he pushed? No. The principal was attempting to diffuse a situation with a complaining, upset Hoopa fan. After speaking with the fan, principal turned around, and accidentally bumped into the elder knocking him to the floor. The incident was completely unintentional and upsetting.
If you are an ethical, worthwhile writer/reporter, you would have received the entire story prior to publishing.
Did you, as a reporter, ask any other questions about the event? No. You only spoke with a player and the coach who wasn’t even at the scene. Did you mention a Pierce student being shoved to the gym floor, from behind, and assaulted by being kicked while on the floor. Hoopa fan/student then being handcuffed and being escorted out of gym? No. Any mention of Hoopa fans/parents, smoking weed outside of gym? No. Any mention of Hoopa adults attempting to sell pot to Pierce students, (kids) outside? No. How about next article you “attempt” to write, get the entire story. Look in the mirror.
Interesting story. Do you have evidence?
Writes Mr. attorney who already accuses the principal of needing to be arrested without having any evidence whatsoever to make the claim…
I do hope the Hoopa elder is doing better today following the incident. I am just a fan and didn’t mean any disrespect to the fans or definitely not the players. The players on both teams played hard and respected each other. It was a one of the best games I have watched in quite awhile. My comments were towards the reporter regarding how he didn’t get both sides of the story before printing the article. Our community here in Arbuckle are majority Hispanic and are definitely not racist. I truly hope the elder gentleman is doing better today.
Arbuckle… but the Hispanics don’t know how to drive down there or yield to traffic when they’re driving too slow under the speed limit… same thing in Cottonwood and Orland same thing in Hamilton… really anywhere along the I-5 corridor or Hwy 99 outside of Redding and or Red Bluff, you name it down there and agriculture country Hispanics don’t know how to drive worth Jack… but true they don’t seem racist… just ignorant or selfish drivers… and don’t forget the Middle Eastern people that live in those areas too… Justice disadvantaged overall as anyone in Hoopa with regard to poverty level…
Fact: Whether the Principal of Pierce High pushed the tribal elder or not….there is video of police officer stating that people were being detained due to SEVERAL ALLEGATIONS but no one would be arrested until video footage was reviewed. 2 arrests were made: Pricipal of Pierce High School and 1 other Pierce High fan!
What were the charges for both the rest since you seem to know more than Mr attorney up thread?
Fact: there is video of police officer stating people who were ALLEGED to be involved were being detained but no arrests would be made until after review of videos could be completed. Only 2 arrests were made that night: Pierce High School Principal and 1 Pierce High School fan.
Conclusion of FACTS: Several allegations were flying around but, after reviewing video evidence…… only the Pierce Principal and a Pierce fan were arrested.
CORRECTION: the Principal was NOT arrested. I’m sorry for reporting that he was HOWEVER, his aggressive behavior directed toward a high school student was COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE and he should be held accountable! As an educator, this is a ridiculous and embarrassing standard to set for your students and community.
Where did you get information to report that he was arrested?
This is why government really never says anything out the gate and tries to tempt people to get to expose themselves as opposed to asking the government for the information that the government alleges that they don’t really want to give across because of the fact that they’re playing Shenanigans to try to manipulate their BS story line after the fact…
what about the pierce man involved who reeked of alcohol?the Fuck cares if someome is smokin pot u rednecks got drunks in the gym startin bullshit too or he wouldnt have been arrested!
On campus there shouldn’t be any drugs or alcohol… but what the heck… slobbering drunks who piss out there catheters or doofy dumb ass dopeheads who are just dipshitz when drunk on dope… moderation is key..
I am a witness and the man tried to beat up me and my friend and we’re only 15 and 17 and had no other choice but defend ourselves, so I’m sorry if he wants to cry around about trying to fight kids and get beat up🤷♂️
Just For Your Entertainment you should check out the video of the black woman who’s probably less than the age of 18 who was working at a McDonald’s when a white dude who was drunk or inebriated and frustrated because he couldn’t get a straw, and he tries assaulting her and she defends herself and kicks the dude’s butt, it was funny… even think the video caught the black chick calling the white man the n word… with a back lacing of the b word… freedom of speech…
… that had the white drunk inebriated dude come back with the n-word to her it would have been interesting…
Well you admitted to assault and battery 2 on 1 without proving that you were actually defending yourself… but you did discuss beating up which is not defending because there’s no need to beat up you’re just defending and once the attacker can no longer Advance on you you’re no longer defending but you claim beat up…
Another Hoopa game, another where the referees were biased, when Hoopa lost. Another altercation where racism was allegedly involved. Maybe we should look at the common denominator, here.
And Arbuckle city is 70% Hispanic or Latino.
Not to take away from the Hoopa team, great athleticism and competitive spirit. But, man, the town needs to learn to lose gracefully when it happens.
70%… no wonder the driving is so terrible on public roads… but as a driving profiler on public roads Asians are the worst drivers…
Or, the common denominator could be non white in this recent event… Vato…
Wow! Very one sided story. Why would Arbuckle start a fight at a game they won? Are you going to publish the counter part to this? Such as a group of Hoopa students who decided to show up the day after (today) at Peice High School to start yet another fight causing both the High School and the Middle School to go on lock down. But I suppose Arbuckle made them get into that vehicle and drive all that way, right?
did u watch the game?cause i did n doesnt matter if they win i saw the attitudes those pierce boys were giving ours.A fight can happen regardless in this case adults acted like children resulting in one of OUR elders getting hirt. People like the principal dont respect elders or give a damn like we do.
Attitude and playoffs like a NorCal tourney go hand-in-hand if you think little saints are going to be on the floor playing games without getting hormonal you’re Clueless…
Will agree that it appears adults are the real children again… at a sporting event!
Why would we drive 6 hours to put your school on lockdown?
Before the game versus after the game,
before the game, you’re driving down there,
after the game, you’re already there…
Because maybe certain members of the community of Arbuckle decided that they wanted to let their emotions spill over after the game that they won without fear of jack…
Hope Hupa does even better next year!
Playing all those Road games and having to deal with teams that want to not play them has got to be frustrating as all get up.
Just stay honest don’t create melodrama and definitely don’t lie about what transgressions occurred or didn’t occur because karma is always there looming over your head…
I’m the grandma of a pierce player and love watching a good basketball game. It makes me sad that all the spectator drama overshadowed the game itself. It was obvious both teams have a passion for the game and played their hearts out. It was one of the best games I have ever watched.
Hats off to both teams and a special hats off to George Navarro #26 in the NATION for scoring!!! That kind of record doesn’t come easy, your 3pt shot is truly impressive.
Thankyou Joanie for noticing one of our impressive Hoopa players, and for not adding to the negative verbiage thread regarding the game! It’s Sad that in the year of 2019, people simply cannot let a group of athletes play! If the Principal was disrespectful, then he/she needs to apologize openly. And, to those who have further disrespected an Elder by stating he fell, rather than pushed, they should apologize to the Elder. It’s obvious things got heated after the game, the ones who caused the heat to rise, and the ones pushing through the crowd causing the Elder to fall need to take responsibility.
This seems to be happening more and more, at some point games may be closed to spectators, so that athletes can Play the game without the crowd causing conflict!