Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lady Bobcats ‘know what it takes to beat the top teams’

Lady Bobcats ‘know what it takes to beat the top teams’

FRUITLAND, N.M.

Navajo Times | File photo Portales Ram Zamorye Cox (11), left, chases Bloomfield Bobcat Kara Watchman (33) during last year's New Mexico 4A girls quarterfinals in Albuquerque. The Lady Bobcats return all of their key players from last year’s 19-11 team.

Navajo Times | File photo
Portales Ram Zamorye Cox (11), left, chases Bloomfield Bobcat Kara Watchman (33) during last year’s New Mexico 4A girls quarterfinals in Albuquerque. The Lady Bobcats return all of their key players from last year’s 19-11 team.

The Bloomfield High School girls’ basketball team is back and stronger than ever for the new season.

The Lady Bobcats return all their key players and will lean on their experience to get them through what is deemed to be another challenging season.

Bloomfield head coach Tom Adair said his team has put in their strongest work ethic yet in the preseason and even over the fall break.

“The girls have really worked hard, they committed to the summer program, we had 14 camps,” he said. “And the girls have worked really hard since we started the season.”

Adair said he has all his varsity players back from last season and has two junior varsity players in the mix.

He said seniors Kara Watson and Destiny Walther will lead the team, as well as juniors Sierra Ortiz and Kimberyln Morgan. He is also looking at some strong contribution from freshman Halle Payne; junior Mattie Waresback; junior Alyssa Quintana, junior Eden Brown and senior Shushshawnie Pierce, to name a few.

“We got some really good bench players and I feel like we got a good core of girls,” Adair said.

He said so far, he’s only seen his team perform in practice and scrimmages but based on the two, he’s confident in their competitiveness this season.

The Lady Bobcats had their home season-opener on Tuesday as they outscored Shiprock 45-19 in the second half to post a 63-43 win.

“I feel like we’re going to be good, we’re just going to see how things go,” Adair said.

Some of the confidence Adair has in his team comes from a mixture of the team’s assets.

Adair said they have some height, improved shooting and above all, a team with state championship experience.

“We have good size and I feel like we have good post play; Destiny, she’s been our leading scorer the last two years, this is her third year playing for us, so I’m excited. I feel like that’s a spring for us,” he said. “We really improved our outside shooting…and then our defense, so our defense is one of our strengths; that’s where the girls really buy into and where we get a lot of points. Experience is good for us, some of the girls have been with us for the last four years.”

php snippet=3]

About The Author

Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi

Sunnie Clahchischiligi has been the sports writer for the Navajo Times since 2008. She has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the University of New Mexico. Before joining the Times, she worked at the St. Cloud Times (Minn.), the Albuquerque Journal, the Santa Fe New Mexican, Sports Illustrated Magazine in New York City and the Salt Lake Tribune. She can be reached at sunnie@navajotimes.com or via cell at (505) 686-0769.

ADVERTISEMENT

Weather & Road Conditions

Window Rock Weather

Fair

42.0 F (5.6 C)
Dewpoint: 18.0 F (-7.8 C)
Humidity: 38%
Wind: South at 4.6 MPH (4 KT)
Pressure: 30.00

More weather »

ADVERTISEMENT