Diné players shine in NMHU debut

ALBUQUERQUE – Diné hoop players Kapiolani Anitielu and Aniya Johnson couldn’t have asked for a better start in their collegiate debut.

The two freshmen helped the New Highlands University women’s basketball team to a 19-18 first-quarter lead over the New Mexico Lady Lobos in an exhibition game on Sunday afternoon at the Pit in Albuquerque.

UNM, however, found its footing in the second stanza as the Lobos outscored New Mexico Highlands in that pivotal quarter and posted a 93-67 win.

“I think we came in with that mindset that we had nothing to lose,” Johnson said. “We just went out there and gave it all we had. I think in the first quarter we had a lot of energy; we were really excited. This was like our first game of the season, so everyone was just really hyped.”

Anitielu, who scored seven of her team-high 18 points in that opening quarter, agreed.

“I feel like we played as a team,” Anitielu said. “Of course, we were all excited to play against the Lobos because they’re a D-1 team.”

The NMHU Cowgirls kept the game manageable at the start of the second, but the Lobos found its range during a six-minute stretch that took the sails out of the visiting team.

UNM senior Vivanè Cumber and sophomore guard Destinee Hooks combined for 14 points, as the Lobos stretched a 28-23 lead into a 48-27 halftime advantage.

Hooks led the Lobos with 19 points while Cumber added 16.

“I don’t think anybody was expecting our team to come out like that, but the second quarter killed us,” New Mexico Highlands coach Lindsey Fearing said.

The second-year coach said her club did a good job of sharing the ball and buckling down on defense for the first 10 minutes of the game. But in the second quarter, the Lobos looked like the stronger team as they held NMHU to eight points.

“UNM is going to be really good this year,” Fearing said. “Their dribble-drive offense is always really good, so this was a good test for us.”

Despite trailing 20 at the break, the Cowgirls stayed even with UNM in the third stanza as both squads scored 21 points heading into the fourth.

The Lobos looked to its reserve in the final period as they outscored New Mexico Highlands 24-19.

“We played well for three quarters, so I’m excited for what’s coming” Fearing said as the Cowgirls are looking to improve on their 6-22 record last season.

“We may be young, but we’re very, very talented,” Fearing said. “This team works really hard together, and I think we should look better this year. It’s a credit to them. They put in the hard work every single day.”

With a boatload of New Mexico talent, Fearing believes she has the talent to take the Cowgirls to new heights. Of the 16 players on her roster, 13 played high school hoops in New Mexico.

“In terms of my recruits I was looking for kids that we’re gonna play, and not look at the people we play against and be scared,” Fearing said. “I think you saw that today to where they were gonna just hoop. You know, our recruits are awesome.”

Four of her recruits are Diné players, which also includes Tohatchi alumnus Brooke Bedonie and Farmington High graduate Kamalani Anitielu, who is going to red-shirt this season.

“They’re phenomenal,” Fearing said of her Navajo recruits. “They work their butts off in practice day in and day out. Those kids just want to go hoop. They don’t care who’s getting the points. They just want to go win.”

New Mexico Highlands opens the regular season at Eastern New Mexico University on Nov. 8 in Durango, Colorado inside Whalen Gymnasium on the Fort Lewis College campus.

The next day, the Cowgirls play Western New Mexico University also in Durango.

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