On Friday, Feb. 13, Tracy High held its annual Hoopla basketball game against West High School. The Bulldogs defeated the Wolf Pack in an exciting game, 84–56. With it also being Hoopla, the night served as basketball and cheer senior night, as well as the final league game of the season.
Another exciting aspect of the night was the Dog Pound. Students, along with the leadership class, created an ESPN-style table that brought an energetic vibe to the game and helped motivate the team.
Case Borges, a junior, was one of the main faces in the Dog Pound. Borges explained his excitement for the Dog Pound and what made it so exciting for him.
“I was excited to talk my stuff and cheer on the team from the Dog Pound,” Borges said. “And we were playing West, so it made it better.”
Borges also looked back on the memorable Dog Pound experience he shared with his peers and friends.
“My favorite memory about it is how me and a couple of my buddies got together and dressed up for this trend we all saw and got to do it in person,” Borges said. “That’s something I’m not going to forget when I think back to it.”
Senior basketball player Maximillian Russell also felt the energy in the gym and reflected on the excitement he experienced during the game.
“The energy in the gym was oozing the whole day, from the Hoopla rally all the way until the final buzzer, and if you were there or have seen any videos, you know that,” Russell said. “I felt like I got the perfect chance to put all that excitement in the gym to use and make a play to get everyone out of their seats and really seal the deal.”
Since this was Russell’s last home league game, he explained what it meant to him and the emotions he felt in the moment.
“Playing in my last high school league game was unreal,” Russell said. “I’ve been waiting so long to be a senior and be able to enjoy a senior night and spend time with family who have helped me so much throughout my career so far.”
Along with the basketball game, there were performances from the Tracy High cheer team and dance team, as well as the announcement of Mr. and Ms. Bulldog. Hoopla was an exciting night for the community and ended in the Bulldogs’ favor.
The Bulldogs went on to defeat Merced 77-57 for the first round in the Division 2 Playoffs.
