MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 46-24 in their home opener by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars. Despite the loss, head coach Makai Hirai said he was proud of the effort his players gave on the court.   

“That was the biggest thing that I took away is we had a lot of effort. We have a lot of girls who are hungry, and the coaches were excited about (that). Our girls look pretty motivated ... they’re working hard,” Hirai said.   

The Jaguars started fast and held the lead the entire game. Tri-Cities Prep put up double-digit scores in each quarter except for the third. The Warriors finished strong with 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars came out victorious.   

“We're a little inexperienced at our post position. The challenge was dealing with their girls. I think they had two six-foot girls on their team, and then, they had a few scrappy, really tough guards who applied a lot of (defensive) pressure to our young girls,” Hirai said.   

In the first half, the Jaguars used their size and speed to their advantage to rack up points. They jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter. In the second, they solidified their defense and held the Warriors to three points while adding 12 more of their own to take a 26-10 lead at halftime.   

In the third quarter, the Wahluke kept Tri-Cities Prep in single digits by only allowing nine points. However, they were only able to log four points of their own and the Jags led 35-14 heading into the fourth quarter.   

In the final minutes of the game, the Warriors finished strong by putting up 10 more points. However, the Jags offense did not slow down and they added 11 points to seal their first win of the season.   

Hirai said he is able to help his players find the small victories as they focus on improving. In his second year as the head coach, he feels the foundation is starting to settle in the Warriors program.   

“Defensively, I think we have the potential to be a really decent team,” Hirai said. “We do hope to win a few league games. I really do think they're out there. We've talked a lot with the girls about that. We are limited on our depth, so that's going to hamper a little bit of our potential, but I think multiple league wins and maybe even challenging for one of those middle spots in the league should be a good goal for us.”  

Hirai credited Yohary Magana and Alexandra Rodriguez for having a significant impact on the court for them. He said being multisport athletes helped them come back this season much quicker and more athletic, which can play to their advantage this season.   

“Obviously, that year of experience on varsity last year, taking their lumps has, I think, helped season them a little bit, and they look a little bit more comfortable this year,” he said.   

A few of his players recently finished the fall season with the soccer team that went to the 1A state tournament. Hirai said those players have brought a winning mentality to the basketball team this season and his players look motivated to make some noise this season.   

Hirai also feels great about his coaching staff this season. They all bring varying levels of experience that will help them develop their players throughout the season. Team culture is getting stronger for the Warriors and Hirai feels like they are on the verge of hitting their stride.   

“I think that should complement the season well, and at the very least, build some energy going through the season so that we're all feeling good and excited to improve,” he said.   

The Warriors return to the court Dec. 5 to host White Swan at 5:45 p.m. 

BOX SCORE:  

TRCP: 14-12-9-11: 46 

WHLK: 7-3-4-10: 24 

    Mia Morales (12) goes up for two points on a contested shot. Head Coach Makai Hirai said his players showed a lot of effort and motivation to compete, which he was proud of.