Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Tyrah Gopher, Box Elder

Tyrah Gopher has been playing hoops as long as she can remember. Now she's at the state tournament in her last season

GREAT FALLS — Like many of her friends and teammates, Tyrah Gopher has been playing basketball for just about as long as she can remember. But for as long as she’s played, she couldn’t think of a better script to the end of her career.

That’s because, the Box Elder senior, who has played significant minutes for the Lady Bears for the past few seasons, has helped the girls basketball team make its first state tournament appearance since 1998, about the time Gopher was born.

It has been a long journey for both Gopher and the Bears, who knocked off Broadview-Lavina Thursday in the first round of the Class C state tournament, 71-53, an effort that was aided by 16 points and six rebounds from Gopher, both of which were game-high’s.

“I am really happy for her,” Box Elder Joel Rosette said after her performance in his team’s opening-round victory. “She has worked really hard. She had some foul trouble and some things like that, but she had a really solid game for us today.”

For the past few seasons, Gopher has been one of the most consistent and steady players on the Bears’ roster. She was an All-Conference player a season ago and will certainly be again this season, after helping the Bears to a 24-1 record, a District 9C championship and a second-place showing at the Northern C Divisional tournament. Not to mention, the school’s first appearance in a girls state basketball tournament in 18 years.

Yes, the career for Gopher has been special and it was even before this season. This season was just like a cherry on top, not only because of the winning but also because of the relationship she has developed with her teammates — one teammate in particular.

That teammate is freshman standout Lillian Gopher, who also happens to be Tyrah’s cousin. Yet, as Lillian told it, the two are more like sisters.

“We are really close,” the younger Gopher said. “We are pretty much like sisters.”

The two have been playing together for years now and the chemistry they have is really unmatched on the floor. Whenever they are in the game together, it seems like Lillian Gopher just has a knack for finding a way to get her cousin the basketball.

“We have just played so much together and I just know her so well,” Gopher said. “I know where she wants it and how she likes it. I make sure to get it to her, so she just has to make sure that she finishes when she gets it.”

And finish she has. Tyrah Gopher has dominated in the paint throughout her career and in the biggest game of it, she did so again, scoring four key buckets to make a slim, six-point lead Thursday, turn to 18 against Broadview-Lavina. She is also a reason why the Box Elder girls are starting to feel like they can join the boys team, in not only bringing home a trophy from state, but claiming the grand prize.

Yet, before Gopher and the Bears take on Arlee tonight for a berth in the Class C girls championship game, the Havre Daily News caught up with her for five questions.

HDN: You said you have been playing basketball for most of your life, how does it feel to make this run to state your senior season?

Gopher: “It feels great because I was a little girl who was never into it like I am now. I played with nothing but boys. But being here with girls, especially this group of girls is cool because we all work really hard.”

HDN: What has it been like to experience this run with your cousin, Lily?

Gopher: “It has been really great to be able to share the court with her and see her out there and be in practice with her. We grew up playing together and having her around just makes it better because we know each other so well.”

HDN: Seems like you two have great chemistry on the court and she is able to get you the ball pretty easily, why do you think that is?

Gopher: “Since we played with nothing but boys, it would be us two against all of them, so we really practiced getting each other the ball against a bunch of guys that were 6-0 and we were, like, 5-2. We were little then, so that made it a challenge.”

HDN: Between you and the boys team this season, Box Elder basketball is a combined 50-2, what do you think is the reason for that success?

Gopher: “I think it’s the impact coach Jeremy (MacDonald) has on everybody. He says student-athlete and being a student comes first, so I think that we can just focus on school. And he’s always talking about how basketball and how all kinds of sports can help kids in our community and how it helps them stay out of trouble and have a better future.”

HDN: What would it mean for your community if the girls and boys both won a state championship in the same year?

Gopher: “It would mean a lot because for so long, people would count us out from being one of the top teams. The Box Elder girls haven’t been to state since 1998, so it’s a big thing.”