Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – McKinleyville’s Neil Moon is the Humboldt Sports Dick Niclai Boys Tournament MVP after an outstanding week helping lead his team to the tournament championship.

By Ray Hamill — There truly is no other sporting event on the North Coast that captures the imagination of the local community quite like the Dick Niclai tournament.

And that was the case once again this week, as fans showed up at 10 games played over five days at six different locations around the county.

A big shoutout to both College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt, each of which hosted tournament games and provided a platform for local players to thrive and for fans to enjoy the moment.

And boy was it fun to watch.

Friday night’s championship games at Lumberjack Arena saw the St. Bernard’s girls and McKinleyville boys take home the coveted trophies after championship game wins over Arcata.

The Crusaders won an absolute thriller by a score of 46-44 to clinch their first-ever girls Niclai title, while a very determined and composed Panthers team won 57-49, taking home a second Niclai trophy in three years.

Both Arcata teams also deserve a ton of credit for the fight they showed.

And while it was a disappointing ending to the H-DNL season for both teams, their players have every reason to feel proud after what they achieved this year, including unbeaten runs through conference play.

And they’re not done yet, with both Arcata teams as well as both Niclai champions now looking forward to next week’s North Coast Section playoffs.

The moment of the tournament without a doubt was CJ Figas’ championship-clinching basket as time expired in the girls final, which capped a brilliant two days in tournament play for the SB girls, who also won a thriller against Eureka in Thursday’s semifinal.

And with all of that in mind, instead of our regular athletes of the week this week, we’re naming our Humboldt Sports Dick Niclai All-Tournament Teams and MVPs.

As expected, there were several worthy candidates for both the boys and the girls, but we narrowed it down to five players on each team and a boys and girls MVP.

Congratulations to both tournament champions and the all-tournament selections and MVPs.

If anyone is in doubt as to what winning a Dick Niclai tournament means to these players and coaches, they should check the wild postgame celebrations below.

That’s the beauty of sports and the beauty of the Dick Niclai tournament.

Humboldt Sports Dick Niclai All-Tournament Boys Team

MVP — Neil Moon, McKinleyville

Moon has been an excellent addition for the Panthers this season after transferring in from Hoopa, especially this week.

The junior guard, who is fondly referred to as “Ice Man” by his teammates and coaches, scored a game-high 25 points in Monday’s opening round and added 30 more over the next two games, but his impact went well beyond that.

“He’s so cool and consistent down the stretch,” McKinleyville head coach Chris Davis said of Moon, explaining the nickname after Friday’s championship win. “And he proved that tonight.”

Bode Douglass, McKinleyville

Douglass also played a key role in leading the Panthers to three tournament wins this week, and he seems to thrive on the big stage.

He led the Panthers in scoring in two of the games, including scoring a game-high 17 points in Friday’s championship game, but it was the timing of many of his baskets that really helped propel his team to the trophy.

Luke Lemke, Arcata

When he gets in full flow, Lemke is arguably the most electrifying boys basketball player in the H-DNL right now and he was outstanding once again in his team’s two games this week.

The junior standout scored 15 points in a semifinal win over Hoopa and added 16 points in Friday’s final. 

Luke Moxon, Arcata

Moxon has been even more important to the Tigers this winter, setting the tone for his teammates in the first of half of Wednesday’s semifinal win and keeping his team in contention in Friday’s final.

One of the frontrunners for the Humboldt Sports Player of the Year and Big 5 MVP honors, the senior scored 34 points in two tournament games.

Brandon Romero. Hoopa

Romero is enjoying an outstanding senior year in sports, transitioning seamlessly from the football field to the basketball courts this winter, where he has been the Warriors’ best player.

He ensured his team would advance to the semifinal round with a brilliant performance at Ferndale on Monday, finishing with a double-double (30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists) and he added 10 points against Arcata.

Humboldt Sports Dick Niclai All-Tournament Girls Team

MVP — Laila Florvilus, St. Bernard’s 

Florvilus ha been the best girls basketball player in the H-DNL for the past two seasons and appears determined to close out her high school career with a bang.

Her performance in the second half of Thursday’s semifinal against Eureka and again in the second half of Friday’s final was as good as it gets and she helped carry her team to victory in a pair of thrilling matchups against Big 5 opponents.

“She’s the best player in the H-DN, and she has been for two years,” her head coach Matt Tomlin said after Friday’s championship game. “And you saw it tonight. She was Wonder Woman.”

Tae Wolford, Arcata

If Florvilus is the best player in the H-DNL right now, it’s surely only a matter of time before we’re saying the same of Tae Wolford, or her twin sister Mae, each of whom are outstanding young basketball players.

Tae, a junior,  has been instrumental in the Tigers’ success this season and was so again this week, scoring 17 points against Ferndale, including five 3s, and following that with 10 points in the final, including a huge late basket to help bring her team back into contention when they trailed by four.

Mae Wolford, Arcata

Mae Wolford, also a junior, has been equally impressive all winter for the Tigers and also had a huge week for the team, scoring 15 points in each of their two games.

She also was clutch late in the championship game. She scored a game-tying basket with 1:19 to go and followed that with two massive free throws to tie the game again with 15 seconds remaining, and she did it in front of a packed house in a pressure situation.

Carli Baum, St. Bernard’s

Of all the young players in the H-DNL right now, none has impressed as much as the Crusaders freshman point guard, who is playing well beyond her years and is only going to get better and better.

Baum played a crucial role in Thursday’s semifinal win over Eureka, keeping the Crusaders in the game and creating opportunities when her teammates were struggling to find their rhythm.

She also made a huge clutch free throw in a pressure situation in the final minute of the championship game.

Mayleah Jackson, Arcata

If the Wolford sisters are the focal point of what the Tigers do on the court, Jackson’s is the engine that makes it all work.

The outstanding senior is a team leader and one of the most consistent players in the H-DNL this season, always instrumental at both ends of the court and inspiring her teammates with her words and her play.

And she was hugely influential once again in both games this week.