By Shaun Scott, Puyallup Tribal News
Puyallup Tribal Members Mylina Pluff and Tala Mitchell were greeted with smiles, hugs and celebratory balloons as they walked through the doors of the Little Wild Wolves Youth Center for a championship dinner celebration with more than 50 members of the Tribal community on April 3.
Pluff and Mitchell experienced the thrill of winning a college basketball title in late March after their team, Northwest Indian College, beat Oglala Lakota College, 72-42, in the American Indian Higher Education Consortium National Basketball tournament championship game in North Dakota.
They both took photos with the championship trophy on the court following the victory in North Dakota. Immediately after the game ended, Mitchell said she felt the significance of what they achieved.
“We made school history. No other women’s team in school history has done it,” Mitchell said.
Pluff and Mitchell have cultivated shared memories together throughout their basketball journey. They first started playing together on the same team when they were 12 years old. They were also part of the Chief Leschi girls basketball team that advanced to the Class 2B state tournament for the first time in school history in 2022.
Following high school, they went their separate ways. Pluff took a year off and then played two seasons for Edmonds Community College. Mitchell also took a one-year hiatus from basketball following high school. She attended Saint Martin’s University for a year and then transferred to Green River Community College.
When Pluff decided to transfer to Northwest Indian College in 2025, the coaching staff told her they were searching for more players. Pluff suggested they take a look at bringing Mitchell to the program.
“I wasn’t sure on what I wanted to do. Mylie was talking to me and telling me it would be great playing together again. She said, ‘We should do it. They have a cool tournament called the AIHEC and we can win it. I know we can.’” Mitchell said. “She really convinced me. I told her if I’m doing this, it’s going to be with you. We were totally in this together.”
They aren’t only teammates on the basketball court, they share a first-floor dorm room on the Northwest Indian College campus. It’s the first time either one of them has ever lived in a dorm and they said living together strengthened their bond on and off the court.
They plan on living together again during the 2026-27 school year, but will be looking to get off campus for what will be their last season lacing up their sneakers together as teammates.
“We have the best friendship you can ask for. We want to go back and get another ring,” Pluff said.
