Page Dominates Miami in Copper Bracket Upset, 66-27

By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times

WINDOW ROCK – The fifth-seeded Page Lady Sand Devils (18-9) advanced into the semifinals of the Arizona Girls Copper Bracket with a commanding 66-27 win over No. 4 Miami Vandals on Thursday night.

Senior guard LeLaura Yazzie led the charge with 23 points, while junior forward Tayla Franklin contributed 14. Page’s relentless defense overwhelmed the Vandals, particularly in the fourth quarter when Miami managed just a single point.

The game opened with senior Aeriana Brown knocking down a jumper for Miami, but Franklin quickly answered with a layup. Miami briefly regained a one-point lead after senior Lauren Stevens converted a layup, but that would be its last lead of the night.

Page erupted on a 10-point run, forcing the Vandals to call a timeout at the 4:36 mark with the Sand Devils ahead 13-4. Coming out of the huddle, Page extended its lead with another nine unanswered points before Stevens stopped the bleeding by sinking two free throws. By the end of the first quarter, the Sand Devils had taken full control with a commanding 26-8 lead.

Yazzie led all scorers with 10 points in the opening period, while Franklin and freshman guard Savannah Franklin each added six. Senior center Leikara Yazzie contributed three points. On the other side, Stevens paced Miami with four points, while Brown and Leeuyah Goss chipped in two each.

The Sand Devils slowed their offensive pace in the second quarter, putting up 11 points. Franklin led with four, while LeLaura Yazzie added three.

Miami, struggling to keep up, managed only six points with four coming from Goss, including two at the free-throw line, and a basket from Stevens. By halftime, Page held a comfortable 37-14 advantage.

In the third, the Vandals had their best offensive stretch of the night, scoring 12 points. However, it was nowhere near enough to cut into Page’s growing lead. LeLaura Yazzie dominated again, scoring 10 points on four field goals and two free throws. Leikara Yazzie added six points, senior center Tyra Tadytin contributed four, and Franklin chipped in two. The Sand Devils poured in another 22 points, widening the gap to 59-26 entering the final quarter.

Page eased up offensively in the fourth quarter, scoring just seven points. Franklin hit a 3-pointer, while senior forwards Aubree Savage and Sarrayan Begay each added a two-point basket. However, their defensive pressure remained relentless, holding Miami to a single point on a free throw from Brown.

After the game, Page head coach Celest Claw declined to comment on the matchup but shared her thoughts on the Copper Division.

“Tonight’s game showed a lot about how the Copper Bracket has been laid out, and I believe tonight’s game would be a protest against it,” she said.

With the decisive 66-27 victory, the Page Sand Devils advance to the semifinals, where they will face the Tuba City Warriors on Friday, Feb. 21 at the Nash Center at Monument Valley High School in Kayenta.

Page won both regular-season matchups against Tuba City, securing a 46-44 victory on Dec. 19 and edging them out 56-55 on Feb. 3.

However, Tuba City got the upper hand in their most recent meeting when the Warriors won 53-42 during the 3A North Regional Girls Basketball Tournament on Feb. 7.

For Miami, the Vandals earned the No. 1 seed in the 2A bracket. They await the winner of No. 8 seed Tombstone vs. No. 9 Mohave Accelerated on Feb. 21.

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