by By RYAN CRAIG
KYNR News
TOPPENISH, Wash. – A Yakama Nation Tribal School senior was recently recognized for his outstanding season of basketball.
Justice Hart, 18 and of Wapato, was named the South East District 9 1B Player of the Year as well as the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association’s 1B State Player of the Year.
Hart, who’s been a YNTS varsity player since the 8th grade, had his best statistical season of his 5 years on the team in 2021-2022. Hart had per game averages in the regular season of 29.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.1 blocks.
Hart said his role on the team has changed throughout the years. He began as a hustle player, he said. Once he became a freshman, he said his role became more of a rebounder and post player with continued emphasis on hustle play. During Hart’s freshman and sophomore years, the Xwyama finished 2nd at the 1B State Tournament.
During Hart’s junior season, YNTS would finish league play undefeated. The team’s only loss in the shortened year came against 2B Cle Elum. There was no state tournament held in 2021 due to Covid-19. Hart said it was in his junior year that he began to focus on facilitating and scoring the ball more than he had his first 3 years of playing.
“He’s always liked sharing the ball,” said YNTS Head Coach Greg Strom. “He liked getting assists, then last year he started scoring a little more and this year he really stepped it up.”
Hart said his senior year was one where he saw himself being more vocal as a leader.
“Practice was pretty tough because I had to be a bad guy a little bit to try to help my teammates get better,” he said.
While challenging, Hart said he enjoyed his role as team captain and leader. He said many of his teammates have improved tremendously over the last two YNTS seasons.
Athletic Director Zachery Janis said Hart’s leadership impressed him as well.
“He’s been amazing,” said Janis. “Not only his basketball abilities but his maturing and leadership abilities.”
Janis said there were others in the community who took note of Hart’s team leadership skills too.
“A couple of the head officials in the Yakima area, they would call me a couple times and just say, ‘Wow, I can’t believe how amazing of an athlete Justice is, also at the same time, how much of a leader he is.’”
Despite being a pass-first player for much of his time at YNTS, Hart was still able to surpass 1,000 career total points scored while playing for the Xwyama. He also tied a scoring record that had stood for over 35 years – held by the late Chuck Jim.
On January 14 in a game at Rosalia, Wash., Hart put up 42 points in a win for the Xwyama over Tekoa-Rosalia. Hart remembered starting the game on fire, scoring at least 10 points in the first 2 minutes. The family of Chuck Jim would later recognize Hart with a presentation of a plaque and painted basketball from the school and family.
Hart said he has loved his time spent attending school and playing basketball at YNTS.
“This school’s a big family,” Hart said. “It’s a small school so you get a lot of attention in every class if you need help.”
Hart said that he’s doing well in all of his classes this year. His favorite class he said is weight training. He is strongly considering majoring in Elementary Education once he completes high school. Hart said he’s also thinking about studying business in the future as well.
“For the past couple of months I’ve been thinking about going into a double major. So having Elementary Education and Business,” he said.
Hart said his love for the game of basketball goes back as far as he can remember.
“I’ve loved it probably since the first time I touched a ball, honestly,” he said. Hart said he’s been playing basketball year round since the age of 5.
Hart credits his dad, Germaine Hart, uncle, Adam Strom, cousins Bryan and Bryce and Isiah Strom and sister Taryn Hart with being some of the main teachers in his life when it comes to playing basketball.
“A lot of people had a hand in molding me,” he said.
Hart said that this season, he received more one-on-one training from his older sister Taryn Hart.
“I feel like a lot of my success comes from her,” Hart said. “Especially this season.”
Hart said he spent countless hours training and working on his game to get to where he is today.
“It’s not just practice at school,” he said. “It’s working by myself and in the offseason too.”
While Hart has yet to make a final decision on where he’ll attend school next fall, he has options and plans to continue to work hard year round.
“My goal is to come into a school that I could help be better and that could help make me better,” he said.
Hart said he hopes his time at YNTS will inspire younger players to keep the winning ways going into the future. After his team was eliminated from district play against DeSales, Hart said he told the underclassmen on his team they had plenty to look forward to. Hart said he still considers the 2021-2022 season to have been a great one.
Hart’s advice for young basketball players in the community: “You don’t have to have a ball and a hoop to get better. You can just run, do workouts, pushups, sit ups. It doesn’t have to be a ball and a hoop to get better.”
Hart, a Yakama, is the son of Traci Strom and Germaine Hart
