Crownpoint outlasts Tohatchi, gets rematch with ‘Prep

CROWNPOINT

A rematch with top seed Navajo Prep is in the works for the Crownpoint boys basketball team.

The Eagles will get that opportunity Saturday afternoon as No. 2 Crownpoint (21-6 overall) staved off a valiant fourth-quarter rally from No. 3 Tohatchi (18-9) in the District 1-3A semifinals Thursday night.

Crownpoint advanced to the title game with a 75-63 win behind senior Taye Harvey’s 25 points.

“We just kept our composure,” the 6-foot-1 forward said. “We hit some really important shots, and our guards were taking it in, and they were getting fouled.”

In that final period, the Eagles made 10-of-19 free throws.

Harvey said he’s looking forward to the matchup with ‘Prep, as Crownpoint has come up short twice during the regular season.

In the first meeting last month, ‘Prep shot lights out, winning 81-38, and on Feb. 13, the district contest came down to the wire with ‘Prep prevailing 48-42.

The third meeting between the two squads is scheduled for Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Shiprock High School in the district championship game.

“I think we got a chance,” Harvey said. “We just need more team bonding to get it done.”

In Thursday’s game, Crownpoint extended a four-point halftime cushion into a 48-33 lead with 4:47 left in the third on a transition basket from junior Tydon Tsosie.

Harvey put in seven in that 14-3 run, while Eagle point guard Tylon Tsosie added five.

Crownpoint, however, got cold, and Tohatchi took advantage when Eagle post Tyrell Archie was forced to the sidelines with an open gash to his left eyebrow.

With his absence, Tohatchi scored six points on putbacks as it got within 54-46 at the end of the period, with Hayden Yazzie and Josh Dawes scoring inside while Talon Long added a pair of free throws.

“Tyrell is one of our strong players with his size,” Crownpoint coach Thale Goodluck said of his 6-foot-3 post. “With his height, it makes him our top rebounder, and when he went out, they (Tohatchi) had two, three bigs in there, and they were crashing the boards.”

Defensively, the Cougars continued its push as they got some stops while getting six points from Dawes. His old-fashion 3-point play with 5:03 remaining gave Tohatchi a 56-55 advantage, its first lead since the opening basket.

“Our defense carried us back,” Tohatchi coach Jim Smith said. “At that point, we just ran out of gas. The guys got tired, and so we subbed in some of the younger guys, and they did well.”

With some recent school cancellations and delays due to inclement weather, Jim said they couldn’t get into the gym for practice.

“That has hurt our conditioning,” he said.

Jim said having kids out due to injuries and sickness has also affected their conditioning.

“We were doing really well early in the season when we were healthy,” he said. “But it’s been a domino effect with one, two kids being out.

“We’re trying to get everyone back into conditioning, and that really showed tonight,” he added.

With some tired legs, the Eagles took advantage and closed out the last five minutes on a 20-7 run, with Tylon Tsosie putting in eight of his 17 points to go along with Harvey’s 25 points.

The Eagles also got 10 points from Tydon Tsosie, while Jordan Harrison and Archie finished with nine each.

For Tohatchi, Dawes finished with a game-high 27 points.

“He put us on his back, and he was a big part of that comeback,” the Tohatchi coach said of his pupil. “But, you know, it takes five. The other guys had to do other things to get him open, and he did carry us.”

The Cougars got 10 points from Long, while Yazzie chipped in nine.

The Smith-coached team will have to wait until Sunday to see where they’re placed in the 3A state bracket, which will have 16 teams.

In the latest Maxpreps.com polls, Tohatchi was ranked No. 7, which bodes well for Jim.

“I like where we’re at,” he said. “I don’t see any reason why we should drop. That is what I’m looking at right now, but it’s possible that we could be No. 8.”

The Cougars will host a first-round playoff game if it gets one of the top 8 seeds.

“I expect us to host because we beat three district champions,” he said. “That should figure into our seedings.”

The Cougars defeated district champs Escalante, Rehoboth Christian, and Socorro this past season.

“Hopefully, they’ll take a look at that,” Smith said of the state seeding committee.

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