Rez Ball

For the first time in several years, the Chuska Warriors, a high school basketball team comprised of Native Americans from the Navajo reservation in Chuska, New Mexico, begins their season with an opportunity to compete for the state championship title. This resurgence is notably marked by the return of their former captain, Nataanii Jackson, who had taken a year off after the tragic loss of his mother and sister. In his absence, Jimmy Holiday had taken on the role of captain. Meanwhile, Coach Heather Hobbs faces intense pressure to perform this year, as her position is at stake should the team fail to secure victories.

The Warriors kick off their season with a winning game, but things take a turn when a reporter brings up Nataanii’s family tragedy, triggering overwhelming dark thoughts for him. When Nataanii fails to appear for a crucial match against the competitive Santa Fe Coyotes, the team suffers a heavy defeat. In a shocking blow, they later learn that he has taken his own life, leaving the Warriors to grapple with the devastating loss of their star player.

Jimmy, who shared a lifelong bond with Nataanii and had sensed his friend’s struggles, is particularly shattered by this news. His mother, Gloria, is unable to provide solace, dismissing the tragedy as merely part of the Native experience.

In a bid to regroup, Coach Hobbs brings in her high school basketball coach Benny Begay to help guide the team. On the personal front, Gloria reaches out to Nataanii’s father, Ronald, to secure a job cleaning his garage due to her own struggles with multiple DUIs, and he encourages her to attend AA meetings.

As Coach Hobbs introduces Benny to the team, he emphasizes a return to traditional practices, starting the first practice with a smudging ceremony. However, the team continues to face challenges, losing nine consecutive games, and talk begins to swirl about Coach Hobbs’s potential dismissal. Gloria’s constant negativity weighs heavily on Jimmy, who becomes frustrated by her lack of support, leading her to abstain from attending games out of fear of witnessing further losses.

To promote team unity, they participate in a bus trip for an exercise that involves herding sheep. The initial attempt fails due to individual efforts, but inspired by the need for teamwork, Jimmy devises a collaborative strategy that successfully corrals the sheep.

Spurred on by this experience, Jimmy suggests integrating Navajo language into their plays. To grasp this unfamiliar concept, he recruits Krista, his work manager, and soon the team is creating new plays labeled in their native tongue. They study these plays during their bus rides to future games, which soon propels them into a winning streak.

Despite a short-lived defeat that leads them to lose the district title after 14 days of victories, the team advances to the state championship. After winning their first three matches, they find themselves in a tense final against an undefeated Santa Fe team, who have also learned Navajo and can counter their linguistic advantage. The match reaches a nail-biting climax where, with mere minutes to go, Santa Fe’s captain fouls Jimmy, awarding him three free throws. He sinks two of them, clinching the championship title for the Warriors.

In the aftermath, Jimmy is celebrated not just for the victory but also receives multiple college offers, while Coach Hobbs is given opportunities of her own yet chooses to remain with the team another year. Ultimately, Gloria confronts her past and offers Jimmy the encouragement he desperately needs, marking a significant step toward healing for all involved.

Last Updated: May 12, 2025 at 07:03