2A state playoffs: Valley girls advance, set to play top-seed Phoenix Country Day

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Feb 18, 2023 | Basketball |

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz.

The Sanders Valley girls basketball team earned an Elite Eight berth in the Arizona 2A girls basketball playoffs.

The Lady Pirates (18-9 overall) got off to a slow start before pulling away from the Miami Vandals 63-51 Friday inside the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

Ninth seed Valley will play top-seed Phoenix Country Day today at 11:30 a.m. in the 5,100-seat multi-purpose arena.

On Friday, the Lady Pirates trailed 13-7 in the opening quarter and after that brief hiccup they put in 20 points in the second period for a 27-20 halftime cushion.

“We had to step it up because the other team wanted to win as well,” said Valley senior post Cheneil Spean, who finished with 23 points. “We had to work together as a team, and I’m just happy that my shots were going in.”

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Sanders Valley Lady Pirate Cheneil Spean squares up for a 3-point shot against the Miami Lady Vandals Thursday during the Arizona 2A girls basketball playoffs at the Findley Toyota Center in Prescott, Ariz. Spean put up 23 points and helped Valley to a 63-51 win.

Even though she was outsized, Spean had a productive game as her points were needed to compliment what junior guard Kaelynn Nez has been doing all season.

In an earlier interview with the Times, Valley coach Dorothy Mitchell said Nez needs all the help she can get for her team to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Nez shared top scoring honors with Spean as the two players combined for 14 of Valley’s 20 second quarter points.

At the start of the second half, Nez tallied another nine markers as the Pirates opened up a 38-23 cushion with 5:11 remaining.

Miami made a push midway through the third, which spilled into the fourth as they got as close as 49-42 with 5:49 left in the contest.

However, Valley closed out the game on a 14 to 9 run to hold off the No. 8 team.

“They were tough,” Spean said of Miami. “They were fast and they had some good shooters. I’m just happy that we won.”

Miami finished the season at 20-9 overall and it was led by sophomore guard Savannah Pietila as she finished with 20 while sophomore post Demetria Dosela added a dozen.

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Sanders Valley freshman Trinity Mitchell looks to score from long range while being guarded by Miami Lady Vandal Drianna Dosela (right). Valley advanced into the Arizona 2A girls state quarterfinals with a 63-51 win Friday at the Findley Toyota Center in Prescott, Ariz.

Valley’s 12-point win puts the Pirates back into the Elite Eight round for the first time in four years.

Last season, Valley got as far as the Sweet 16, and the year before that they didn’t play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It feels good to make the quarterfinals,” Spean said. “Last year we were coming off the Covid season, so we weren’t prepared.

“I think with what happened last year it helped us prepare for this season,” she added.