If the Hoopa Valley Warriors were feeling good off their 68-45 takedown of the Ferndale Wildcats last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Hoopa Valley was just a bucket shy of victory on Monday and fell 46-45 to McKinleyville. Hoopa Valley was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as McKinleyville apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in November of 2023.
When it comes to explaining why Hoopa Valley lost, one person who can't be blamed is Tashee Tracy. Despite the final result, she dropped a double-double on 18 points and ten rebounds. Tracy hasn't dropped below 15 points for five straight games. Another player making a difference was Maggie Morris, who scored eight points along with five assists and two steals.
Hoopa Valley's loss dropped their record down to 10-7. As for McKinleyville, their win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-8.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Hoopa Valley won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against St. Bernard's at 7:30 p.m. on January 30th. St. Bernard's presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Hoopa Valley in California (St. Bernard's is ranked 104th, while Hoopa Valley is ranked 255th). McKinleyville on the road again on Thursday and play against Eureka at 7:30 p.m. on February 1st.
