Expect up-tempo play from HRV’s boys basketball team this season

HOOD RIVER — The Hood River Valley High School boys basketball team opens its 2025-26 season at home Dec. 5, when Eagle fans can expect fast-place play from Coach Chris Dirks’ team.

The Eagles are coming off a 12-12 season, going 7-9 in Northwest Oregon Conference (NWOC) play. Dirks, who’s in his tenth season as a coach, is four victories away from 100 career wins. His team returns three starters, Deacon Ybarra and Talon-Quinn Britt, and NWOC honorable mention junior guard JJ Poole.

“We’re pretty deep as a program overall. I think, top to bottom, we have some really good classes,” Dirks said. “It’s going to take us the preseason to figure out who’s ready for heavy varsity minutes, but I’m really happy with the team that we have, and they’re all really good kids.

“We’re implementing a new style of play that’s going to be really up-tempo,” said Dirks. “I think it really suits our older guys. In just [the] first three practices, the guys are really getting after it. They’re starting to understand that. There’s going to be no downtime, really, when you’re on the court. We’re just working through these practices, getting everybody bought in and on the same page, and I think once we start clicking, it’s going to be a really fun style of play to watch and coach.”