Phil Homeratha won’t hide his pride. Homeratha, long-time women’s basketball coach at Haskell Indian Nations University, has a direct tie to Oklahoma University point guard Jenna Plumley.

Homeratha and Plumley are members of the Otoe-Missouri Nation, a Native American tribe located on an open reservation south of Ponca City, Okla.

“Our tribe is small, only about 1,200 or so,” Homeratha said, “so you can imagine how I feel.”

A freshman who stands just 5-foot-4, Plumley has started the last two games for the Sooners, averaging 16.5 points and 4.5 three-pointers in wins over Texas and Texas Tech. Against Tech, Plumley scored a career-high 22 points while going 6-for-8 from three-point range.

“At one time, I had hopes of recruiting her,” Homeratha said, “or until I found out she was D-I material. At first I thought she might be too small for D-I, but she shoots real well and she plays bigger than 5-4.”

While Homeratha feels a natural provincial pride in Plumley, he also views her success as part of a bigger picture.

“In the Indian world,” he said, “you don’t see that many kids on that high a profile. She’s just a good kid, a real good kid.”