Pinon hoping to make their case in league play
By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times
FORT DEFIANCE, Jan. 2, 2014
(Times photo – Ravonelle Yazzie)
TOP: Rock Point’s Jeremy Deswood (23) makes his way around Pinon Eagle Justin Begay (32) during the 2013 St. Michael Winter Classic basketball tournament in Fort Defiance on Saturday.
BELOW:
Rock Point Cougar Leander Bahe (15) goes up for a right hand lay-up on Saturday in Fort Defiance during the 2013 St. Michael Winter Classic basketball tournament.
The Eagles were hardly tested and a good part of that is because of the play of junior guard Todderick Tso.
As one of two returning starters, Tso has pushed his game to new heights and because of it he's also turned a few heads.
"He has great court awareness and once he gets into a groove he is pretty hard to stop," Pinon coach Leroy Begay said. "He creates a lot of our plays so our offense goes through him."
Begay said Tso is a point guard who can shoot, get to the basket, and stay with anyone on defense. And when he does find an opening, Begay said most teams have a tendency to collapse on him, which leaves one of his teammates open.
"It almost comes spontaneous for him," Begay said. "Most of the time he'll dish it off and get the other players involved."
And while his coach describes him as their best scoring option, Tso said he's more interested in being a team player. Interestingly enough, he said that was their downfall last season as Pinon finished the year ranked No. 36 in power rankings.
"We couldn't get along," Tso said. "We didn't have chemistry last year. We just played as individuals."
To read more on how your team did at the 2013 St. Michael Winter Classic, pick up a Navajo Times.
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