Lady Bulldogs advance with inside-outside game

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Feb 20, 2020 | Basketball |

WINDOW ROCK

The inside-outside game paid dividends for the Winslow girls’ basketball team on Tuesday night.

The ninth-seeded Lady Bulldogs advanced into the second round of the Arizona 3A girls state basketball tournament with a 62-28 win over Wickenburg.

“Everyone contributed on both ends,” Winslow coach Jerron Jordan said. “We had a good inside-outside game going tonight.

“Clearly the girls played really good defense so it was an all-around team effort,” he said. “Everybody played a good amount of minutes and I think everyone scored.”

Winslow had three players in double figures headed by the 13 points turned in by senior Brianna Little and junior Oniah Barton-Paddock. Senior post Andrea Willeto added 11.

“I’m just proud of my girls,” Jordan said. “We wanted to jump on Wickenburg early and get the momentum. We did that and I was able to go deep in my rotation and try to get the other kids who don’t have playoff experience some confidences.”

Moving forward, Jordan said it will help them get acclimated to playing at a higher level deeper into the tournament.

“They’ll have that confidence when I need them, whether it be for 30 seconds or five minutes,” he said.

The Bulldogs will take on No. 8 seed Chinle on Friday at the Wildcat Den.

“We played them earlier but that was a long time ago,” Jordan said. “Both teams are playing well right now but we have to go their place and we know it’s going to be tough up there.

“They have good size in the front court and we both have good guards so it’s going to be a real good physical game,” he said. “Coach (Francine) McCurtain does a real good job with her girls and it’s going to come down to defensive stops and who can win those 50/50 balls.”

In addition, Jordan said hitting free throws down the stretch will be key.

“It’s things of that nature that will determine the outcome,” he said.

The winner of Friday night’s game will most likely play top-seeded Tucson Sabino in the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Monday at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

“Sabino is the team to beat but every part of the bracket is tough,” Jordan said. “In the bottom half, you have Holbrook, Window Rock and Page …

“I think that there are a dozen girls’ teams that can win state on any given night,” he said. “It’s going to come down to execution and who really wants it more.”

Heading into the second round, Jordan said his team is starting to peak as they hope to get back to the Final Four round.

“That is what you want to do this time of the year,” he said. “I feel like we’re playing really well.”