Submitted photo – the Hoopa players and coaches at the weekend Trinity tournament.

By Ray Hamill — The Hoopa Warriors will carry plenty of momentum into this week’s Gene Cotter memorial tournament at South Fork as they continue an impressive pre-league schedule in girls basketball.

The Warriors have won four straight games and five of their last six, including sweeping all three games at the weekend Trinity tournament on their way to the championship.

And that recent run of success all begins with the team defense, which has allowed an average of just 33.5 points a game in the four wins.

Head coach Floyd “Cowboy” Billings began the season with just seven players on his varsity roster, but after seeing just four players close out an overtime game against McKinleyville at the recent Arcata tournament, the longtime Hoopa coach brought up an additional two players from the JV squad.

Three of his nine varsity players are just freshmen, but with a core trio of talented and experienced leaders — senior Tashee Tracy and juniors Harmony Nelson and Ivy Lamebear — the Hoopa girls appear poised to challenge for a Little 4 championship this year in what should be a very competitive conference.

“What I like about this team is the team chemistry,” Billings said. “Most of these girls have played with each other a lot. We played all summer in AAU, so the chemistry is definitely there. They know when to cut, they know when to pass. I’m proud of them, they’re coming along.”

Tracy has been setting the tone at center and is averaging team-highs in points (16.6 points a game) and rebounds (7.8).

But the standout senior has seen her game evolve in other ways this year.

“Tashee is being a beast,” Billings said. “She’s established her position down low and she’s definitely moving a lot more with the ball. She’s tiring her opponents out.”

Lamebear is averaging 14.4 points a game and has showcased her hustle with 3.1 steals a game.

The junior guard also has seen her game evolve in new ways this season and has been one of the team’s most effective defensive players.

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Tashee Tracy in action for the Hoopa girls earlier this season.

Maggie Morris

“Ivy’s got her mind made up to where ‘if I get a shot, I’m taking it,’” Billings said. “Her defense is accommodating her offense. She’s getting a lot of fast breaks from her defense.”

Nelson, meanwhile, has taken on a different role with this year’s team and has sacrificed her scoring to set up her teammates.

The junior point guard leads the team in assists — to go with 7.1 points a game — and is facilitating her teammates with her ball handling.

Lamebear’s younger sister, Wau’Kel Blake, is a freshman who is having an immediate impact at the varsity level and was named to the all-tournament team at Trinity.

“She played some huge minutes and scored some huge buckets to help us pull away (in the tournament final against Ferndale),” the coach said. 

Blake also has formed an impressive tandem with fellow freshman guard Maggie Morris.

Ivy Lamebear

Wau’Kel Blake

“Those two girls love to pick up the trash,” Billings said with a chuckle. “They’re really quick and really aggressive and they like to drive to get to the free-throw line.”

A third freshman, Marley Tracy, was recently brought up from the JV team and has had an immediate impact off the bench.

The younger cousin of Tashee gives Billings some much needed depth at guard.

“She doesn’t get tired,” the coach said. “She can play full-court defense all game. She doesn’t back down.”

Seniors Tahlia Booth and Talena Downs-Miguelena each also are having a big impact on this year’s small roster.

Billings describes Booth as the team’s “enforcer.”

Harmony Nelson

“She knows when to score and she knows when to rebound,” he said. “She’s our enforcer. The offense doesn’t run without her.”

Downs-Miguelena, meanwhile, is a consistent defensive threat, something that was evident again over the weekend despite some struggles on the offensive end.

“She’s never off on defense,” the coach said. “Her defense is still there. She’s looking good this year.”

Junior forward Audrina Mace also has been brought up to provide some much-needed depth on the varsity roster as the Warriors look to continue to build momentum ahead of league play in the new year.

They will try to keep their impressive pre-league schedule going when they play at the Gene Cotter Memorial Tournament in South Fork this week, opening against Round Valley on Thursday.