Hopi boys make a return trip to 2A playoffs

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Feb 8, 2024 | Basketball |

ST. JOHNS, Ariz. – After a four-year hiatus, the Hopi Bruins are making a return trip to this year’s 2A state playoffs.

The 2A North Region regular season champs secured the bid based on their body of work as the Bruins have compiled a 21-6 mark.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) seeded the Bruins No. 14 for this year’s bracket. Hopi will host No. 19 Arete Prep on Friday night with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.

“We get to play our play-in game on our homecourt,” longtime Hopi coach Rick Baker said. “We get great support from our fans and our community. You know, it’s good to be in the playoffs because these kids never experience that, so I’m happy for them.”

With a handful of returners from last year’s squad, Baker had some pieces to work with, which included veteran players Jarious Lomayestewa and Izaiah Silas.

But with the addition of Camelback transfer Deonta Riley, the Bruins have won 10 more games than last season.

“Deonta has really helped with our chemistry on the defensive end,” Baker said. “He’s pretty quick at getting steals.”

Riley, who is originally from First Mesa on the Hopi reservation, moved to Phoenix with his mother at the start of fifth grade. He moved back to Hopi for his senior season.

“It feels good to be back home,” Riley said. “I mean, I get to play with all my friends that I grew up with. We all have a connection.”

That connection has transformed Hopi into one of the area’s explosive teams as the Bruins are averaging 67.1 points per game.

“With Deonta back our season has been really good,” Silas said. “This is probably one of the best teams Hopi has ever had. I really think we can get far in the playoffs.

“It’s all on us, with what we put forth and how we’re willing to work together,” he added.

Before this year, the last time Hopi made the playoffs was during the 2018-19 season.

“That was the year when my son, Steven, was playing,” Baker said. “We lost the play-in game to San Manuel. It’s exciting to have this team make it. We’ll see how far we can take it.”

It took a few games for Baker to realize how talented his team was. That hunch came about during the Williams Route 66 Holiday Classic in early December when Hopi finished with a 4-2 record, losing its two games to California squad Needles High School.

“Once we got done with that tournament, we kind of had an idea of what we’re capable of doing,” Baker said. “As a coach, you just have to mold them into how you want them to play.”

In late December Hopi had another impressive outing at the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shootout. The Bruins came up just short to tournament champ Camp Verde, 64-63, in the title game.

“Just playing in those tough tournament games, you know, got us ready for the season,” Baker said. “We played some good teams at Williams and Camp Verde.

“Hopefully, it really prepared us for the playoffs,” he added.