Ganado holds off BASIS Flagstaff in 47-44 season opening thriller

By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times

BURNSIDE JUNCTION, Ariz.

The Ganado Hornets opened their 2025 basketball season Wednesday night with a nail-biting 47-44 win over the BASIS Flagstaff Yetis, surviving a late rally to secure the victory.

Junior point guard Derrick Mitchell set the tone early and often, leading all Hornets with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Senior guard Kohl Curley added 10 points, while senior guard Quincy Peshtony contributed seven.

“This year, we’ve got seven boys returning,” said Ganado head coach Korey Curtis. “I have Menturious (Francis), our big man Eayden (Murphy) and his little brother Noah, along with Jayden Curtis. Quite a few boys coming back this year.”

Ganado jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two minutes, applying pressure and dictating the tempo. Their defense held the Yetis to limited looks, and the Hornets closed the quarter with 10 points. Peshtony and sophomore center Noah Murphy each scored three, while Curley and senior center Eayden Murphy chipped in two apiece.

The Hornets kept rolling in the second, putting up 12 more points. This time it was Mitchell who caught fire, scoring eight on two 3s and a midrange jumper. Noah Murphy and sophomore forward Tyre Nichols each added a bucket, giving Ganado a 22-15 halftime lead.

The third quarter was Ganado at their sharpest. The Hornets exploded for 16 points, sparked by Mitchell’s two 3-pointers. Curley added a 3 and a field goal, while Nichols drilled another triple, giving Ganado four 3s in a six-minute stretch before coach Curtis rotated in his bench.

“Well, they started going into a little half-court press,” Curtis said. “That’s kind of their downfall – the press. But by the end of the fourth quarter, they calmed down a bit and picked it back up.”

Despite cooling off late in the period, Ganado still entered the fourth up 38-29, though BASIS Flagstaff had trimmed into the lead with 14 points of their own.

The final quarter got tense. Ganado’s offense stalled, producing just nine points, and the Yetis capitalized with a 7-0 run that cut the lead to three at 39-36. Junior Maurice Scott opened the quarter going 1-for-2 at the line, but the Hornets didn’t score again until Peshtony knocked down a clutch three with 4:32 remaining.

From there, free throws became the deciding factor. Curley hit 3-of-4, Peshtony added 1-of-2, and Francis split a pair to close out the game. Ganado made five of their last eight free throws, enough to keep the Yetis at arm’s length and seal the 47-44 win.

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