Navajo Prep girls looking to 3-peat
Lady Eagles crush Cobre in 3A semifinals

RIO RANCHO, N.M.

The Navajo Prep girls basketball team is one step closer to a third consecutive Class 3A state crown.

On Thursday night, the top-seeded Lady Eagles (25-3) advanced to the championship game with a convincing 55-27 win over No. 5 Cobre (22-8) at Rio Rancho Events Center.

The 28-point triumph marked Navajo Prep’s third consecutive double-digit win in the playoffs as the Lady Eagles beat district rivals Zuni (73-35) and Tohatchi (48-33) in the previous rounds.

Not since the District 1-3A championship has Navajo Prep been tested as the Eagles seem to be playing at a high level.

“We just learn how to adjust and make changes and fix our mistakes during the game,” Navajo Prep senior Kameron Dale said of the team’s superb play. “I really think it comes from our confidence, too, especially our underclassmen. They really stepped up these past few games.”

“Our energy is keeping us going,” freshman guard Dejahnelle Denetso added. “We’re just like hyping each other and our confidence is up, too, so I think that’s a good reason on why we’re playing really good right now.”

In addition to the team’s confidence, Dale also cited their chemistry as longtime Navajo Prep coach Rainy Crisp welcomed four new freshmen to this year’s varsity squad.

“It’s really about their leadership,” Crisp said. “Our senior leadership has been tremendous this year. You know, to take the younger players under their wing and, gosh, (they have) full out support for each other.”

With the seniors laying the groundwork, Crisp said the underclassmen have taken significant steps in understanding the rich history of the program as Navajo Prep is seeking the school’s 10th state title in Friday’s finals with No. 2 seed Santa Fe Indian School. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Pit in Albuquerque.

“Being able to come in and match that and get us into the championship game speaks volume to our younger players and older players,” she said. “Just that team chemistry, the confidence, the grit that we’ve been having and the resilience, it speaks a lot for this team.

“For them to come this (far), I’m just really proud of them,” she added.

In Thursday’s game, junior forward Leilani Wood paced Navajo Prep with four points in the opening quarter with the Eagles taking a 14-8 lead.

In the second, Denetso picked up the slack by scoring eight points, helping Navajo Prep to a commanding 34-15 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Crisp-coached team outscored Cobre 21 to 12 to set up its meeting with SFIS.

“It’s gonna be tough,” Crisp said of Friday’s championship game. “They’re playing really well right now, beating two teams; just dominating the two teams so we have to really come in and be ready for a dogfight.

“I know they’re going to want it this year,” she added. “They have a lot of seniors and so it’s going to come down to the last second. I think our team is ready for that competition.”

Crisp did note that freshman post Taylor Begay is questionable for Friday’s game as Begay went down with an injury in the first quarter of Thursday’s game.

“I’m really hoping that she’s OK,” she said. “But for what we have right now, that’s who we’re going in with, and we just have to be ready for that.”

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