Deer Valley High’s girls basketball team has emerged not only as a Bay Valley Athletic League power, but a force throughout the Bay Area. The Wolverines have won five straight BVAL titles and advanced to at least the North Coast Section finals every year in that run.

Guard Raven Fox was a key part of four of those teams. As a senior, she earned the BVAL’s MVP award while averaging 18 points and better than two steals per contest. Next year, she’ll be playing basketball at Fresno State University.

For her efforts, Fox was named The Press’ Female Athlete of the Year.

“I really like the coaches there,” said Fox. “I also like the team and the league they play in. I fit in really well with the system they run. I want to win there, and after that, hopefully go play overseas. I don’t really care where. I am not going to be picky.”

In addition to playing basketball, Fox also ran track for three of her four years as a Wolverine. Since during her year off from running her endurance on the court suffered, she believes her time on the track team has helped her as a basketball player.

While her scholarship was in basketball, Fox was also an integral part of the Deer Valley track team. Along with fellow seniors Erica Wilson, Joy Gee and Darnella Jenkins, Fox finished eighth in the state 4x400-meter relay race. Individually, she also won the BVAL championships in the 400-meter race and later qualified for the NCS Meet of Champions in the same event.

“Raven is just a competitor,” said Bernard Stephens, who was Fox’s track coach. “She has such a strong will. She took her junior year off from track, came back out her senior year and didn’t miss a beat. Whatever Raven decides to do, she is just driven.”

Fox’s senior season on the basketball court featured one major transition. While her teammates between her junior and senior years were largely the same, her coach for the first three years, Lindsay Wisely, left to fill the women’s coaching opening at Las Positas College. Replacing her was Mark Anger.

Without Wisely, Fox felt she needed to step up her role as a leader. The 2011 team went 10-0 in league play and qualified for the NCS playoffs as a No. 3 seed. While the 2011 team was successful, it was eliminated by Carondelet in the NCS semifinals. That loss kept the Wolverines out of the California state tournament, which in 2010 they advanced deeper into than any previous Deer Valley team.

“She’s also a driven student,” added Stephens. “It’s been pleasant to see her mature and move on. We all wish her well. She’s just a good woman.”

While Fox acknowledged that her senior year was disappointing, she also said that she and her teammates had fun. The premature finish to her final Wolverines basketball season barely stained Fox’s memory of her time at Deer Valley.

“I really enjoyed being part of a family. I loved getting close with the coaches, all of my teammates, the other athletes and the athletic director,” said Fox. “As an athlete, people know you, and I liked that.”