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Ignacio’s Ebonee Gomez (23) leans around Dove Creek’s Grace Hatfield (3) for a look at the basket during road action Tuesday, Jan. 7. The Lady ’Cats earned a 67-41 win in 2A/1A San Juan Basin League play.
Ignacio’s Monika Lucero (20) nails an open three-pointer during Tuesday, Jan. 7 road action at Dove Creek in 2A/1A San Juan Basin League play. Lucero helped the Lady ’Cats to a 67-41 win by making three treys and totaling 10 points.
Ignacio’s Bella Pena (25) protects the ball from Dove Creek’s Tara Buffington (4) during 2A/1A San Juan Basin League road play Tuesday, Jan. 7. IHS downed the Lady Bulldogs 67-41.
Photo Credit: McKayla Lee | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: McKayla Lee | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Special to the Drum | Joel Priest
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Alamosa girls escape IHS with 44-40 win

Thursday - January 16, 2020 by Joel Priest | Special to the Drum

Tough loss for team toughened by top-10 foes

Able to almost equal the visitors’ output early, then exceed it late, an off-pace second quarter more or less was all that separated the Ignacio Lady Bobcats from a Jan. 11 home win over highly-rated 3A Alamosa.

Even with senior forward/center Makayla Howell contained, IHS—ranked No. 10 in the CHSAANow.com Class 2A Girls’ Basketball poll going in—managed to stay within two points, 16-14, through the first eight minutes, before going into halftime trailing by seven, 25-18.

The Lady ’Cats, however, reclaimed the third quarter 12-11 and the fourth 10-8, with Howell breaking out and totaling a hard-fought 15 points.  A clutch nine came during the fourth quarter as she went 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.  Sophomore guard Avaleena Nanaeto turned in another solid effort and booked nine points, but was blanked down the home stretch.

Junior guard Charlize Valdez managed six points and sophomore guard Monika Lucero five before fouling out, but junior guard Jayden Brunson managed just three points and senior forward Larissa Gallegos two.

Checking in at No. 6 in 3A, the Mean Moose got a Howell-matching 15 points from junior guard Emily Lavier before she, too, picked up her disqualifying fifth personal foul.  Fellow junior guard Terese Chavez also reached double figures with her 11 points, while senior guard Lily Lavier contributed nine, including vital 5-of-6 charity-stripe accuracy.

Able to generate just enough breathing room during the fourth quarter with shaky 6-of-16 foul-line work, Alamosa improved to 7-1 overall with just one non-league challenge (Jan. 14, versus 4A Pueblo East) remaining before beginning Intermountain League work.

Still 2-0 in the 2A/1A San Juan Basin via a quality 67-41 road win at Dove Creek four days before, Ignacio dipped to 3-4 with a Jan. 17 visit from SJBL nemesis Dolores appearing next on the schedule.  Results from IHS’ 1/16 trip to non-league 2A Del Norte—one of the first tests for DNHS, down one spot to No. 4 in this week’s Class 2A rankings, inside all-new Tiger Gymnasium—were unavailable at press time.

“You know, we’ll go back and watch film, have them watch what they did…pick apart the things we did wrong and fix those things,” said head coach Justa Whitt.  “Hopefully get it all to come together.”

The Lady ’Cats will also host league rivals Mancos on the 21st, Ridgway on the 24th and Telluride on the 25th.

 

CHSAANOW.COM CLASS 2A GIRLS’ BASKETBALL POLL (1/13): 1.Holyoke, 2.Rocky Ford, 3.Rye, 4.Del Norte, 5.Limon, 6.Sanford, 7.Wray, 8.Fort Collins Heritage Christian, 9.Simla, 10.Yuma.  Others receiving votes—Meeker, IGNACIO, Rangely, Peyton, Colorado Springs School, Lafayette Dawson School, Byers, Hayden, Hotchkiss.

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