They’re young, they’re good and they’re making history at TC Prep

When you start the season 0-2, making plans for the state tournament is the furthest thing from your mind.

Tri-Cities Prep girls basketball coach Joe Mackay was just hoping to turn things around enough for a successful season. Turns out, he needs a travel agent after all.

“We knew it would take some time,” Mackay said. “Three minutes into our first game, we lost Hollis Long to an injury. It was not a great way to start the season. We are really young, but they caught on fast.”

The Jaguars (18-5), in their 18th season, will play in their first 2B state tournament in school history at 9 a.m. Wednesday against EWAC foe White Swan in a loser-out game at Spokane Arena.

The teams split their games during the regular season, with TCP taking the first game 65-64 on Dec. 16. The Vikings took the second game 81-63 on Jan. 20 as the third quarter (a 25-8 White Swan run) got away from the Jaguars.

“It would be nice to play someone we haven’t played,” Mackay said. “Once you get to state, it’s pretty competitive. We’d likely have to play them sometime.”

Should the girls bring home a state title, it would be second in school history. The boys won the 1B title in 2009, beating Moses Lake Christian 48-41.

Early to bed, early to rise

Little could the Jaguars have known during the season that their 6 a.m. Wednesday practices would be perfect preparation for early-morning state games.

“We have been having them for a month an a half now,” Mackay said. “Having to coordinate practices with the boys, it just worked out that way.”

TCP will not have an opportunity to pull off a “Hoosiers” moment before the game, measuring the court and the baskets. At state, access to the court is limited.

“I hope they are so young they don’t care where we play,” Mackay said. “Hopefully they don’t understand the magnitude. The biggest thing will be the backdrop with the hoops. Here we have the wall, there it is open space.”

The Jaguars start three freshmen and two sophomores and are led by 6-foot freshman Talia von Oelhoffen, who is averaging 29.5 points and 12 rebounds per game. She already has caught the attention of college scouts from Oregon, Utah, Stanford and Louisville.

“We aren’t used to having college scouts in our gym,” Mackay said. “There have been times when we have had five freshmen on the floor. Talia is the driving force. We only have one senior (Maddie Brandner) and one junior (Nicole Carey). There are good things to come. We are just scratching the surface right now.”

Sophomore post Emily Dickson is the first TCP player to go to state in three sports — she’s already been in volleyball and softball.

“She has come up big for us,” Mackay said.

All-Star coaching staff

Mackey is in his fourth season with the Jaguars. His first season, the team went 15-5 and got upset at the district tournament. The past two years, well, they are in the past.

“There were a couple of years we just didn’t have the numbers coming in,” Mackay said.

Danielle Perales has been on Mackay’s coaching staff from the start. This season, former Kamiakin and University of Hawaii great Tondi (Redden) von Oelhoffen is volunteering, as is former Pasco High and Columbia Basin College standout Sierra Perez.

“Tondi has a wealth of knowledge,” Mackay said. “I just look important. I have the whistle.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 7:50 PM with the headline "They’re young, they’re good and they’re making history at TC Prep."