Page, Window Rock girls to battle for 3A state title, Lady Scouts lead season series 2-1

PHOENIX – It’s a matchup that everybody wants.

It’s a matchup that will have a star-studded cast as Saturday’s 3A girls state title will be decided by the tournament’s top two seeds.

On Friday top-seeded Page (22-5) and No. 2 seed Window Rock (26-4) pulled out wins before a large crowd inside Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.

The championship game will be the fourth meeting between the two 3A North rivals as the Scouts are led by seniors Melicia Nelson and Jayme Tso.

The Sand Devils, meanwhile, have the 1-2 punch of seniors Alyssa Harris and Sofia Cambridge.

Window Rock leads the season series 2-1 with the Scouts rallying past the Sand Devils two weeks ago during the finals of the 3A North Region tournament.

“It’s always hard to beat a team that you know, and that’s in your conference because you’re constantly playing them,” Window Rock coach Gabrielle Whitney said. “You can’t overlook (them) because Page is going to come out ready to play.

“We just got to continue to play like how we’ve been playing, which is playing hard, playing smart and playing together,” she added. “That is what’s gonna help us tomorrow.”

The championship game is scheduled for 4 p.m. inside the 14,870-seat indoor arena, which is the former home of the Phoenix Suns.

The Lady Sand Devils were the first team to advance as Page ousted No. 13 Chinle in the first semi-final by a 47-37 count.

Page trailed 4-0 early but received a huge spark from Harris as she scored nine of her game-best 11 points in the opening quarter.

“I noticed that my teammates were coming out a little slow so I had to do something,” said Harris. “If anyone was going to wake them up, it was going to be me because I’m one of the team leaders.”

With Harris’ solid nine, Page led 10-7 entering the second period. After that the Sand Devils scored by committee as junior guard LeLaura Yazzie chipped in 10 with three treys and junior post Leikara Yazzie added eight. Page also got seven points apiece from sophomore guard Tayla Franklin and Cambridge.

“Alyssa gave us that initial spark and after that everyone did their part,” Page coach Celeste “Boka” Claw said. “Honestly, anyone on our team can go off when we need a spark.”

Behind some solid defense, the Sand Devils built a 23-13 halftime cushion and they increased that margin to 42-26 in the early going of the fourth.

“Our defense is our bread and butter,” Claw said. “That is what we preach. That’s Sand Devil defense right there. I mean, that’s something ingrained into every player that comes through Sand Devil nation.”

Since taking over the program three years ago, this will be Claw’s first time coaching her alma mater in the finals. She won a state crown as a player for the Sand Devils during her senior season in 2012.

“It’s a great feeling to be playing for the state title,” Claw said. “It’s hard to describe it, but honestly I’m more excited for the girls because they earned the right to be here.”

Chinle, which finished the season 15-17, was led by junior post Dizhoon White and senior guard Neveah Jishie, who each finished with eight points.

Window Rock

In the second semi-final, Window Rock gained the separation it needed in the third quarter before holding off Show Low with a 45-38 win.

Window Rock held Show Low (29-3) to only two free throws in that third stanza as the Cougars put up 17 shot attempts in that quarter to no avail.

“We adjusted our defense,” Whitney said. “We were in a 2-3 zone before and (Show Low) was getting easy buckets off of that. My coaching staff saw that and they were good at telling me that we should go man.

“Once we went man, that was when they had a hard time shooting,” she added.

That defensive stand helped the Scouts open up a 35-18 advantage after three quarters. The first half had been played evenly between the two squads, with Window Rock leading 22-16 at the break.

The Whitney-coached team seized its largest lead at 41-22 following a two-point basket from Nelson at the 4:41 mark of the fourth period.

Nelson, who finished with six points and five assists, sat out the rest of the quarter as Show Low chipped away at the Scouts’ lead.

The Cougars got as close as 42-38 but Window Rock finished out the game by nailing 3-of-4 from the charity line.

“Mesha is one of our top players and everybody knows that so I took her out so that she can rest for (Saturday’s) game,” Whitney said. “I had a lot of trust and confidence in the girls and I knew they were going to pull it off.”

Earlier Nelson had a spectacular half on both ends of the court. On the defensive end, she was a force in the paint. And on the offensive end, she created for her teammates with senior post Bre’ James being on the receiving end of three assists down low.

“She’s always that type of player that’s never going to let down,” Whitney said. “She’s always going to play and she’s every coach’s dream to have.”

And although she gets plenty of credit for her play, Nelson said the Scouts’ latest win was a team effort.

“We knew that we had to come together as a team,” Nelson said. “I think that is what we did tonight.”

The Window Rock guard said it was a dream come true to play in the championship game as the Scouts were one game shy of doing just that last season.

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“This is something we worked for all season,” Nelson said, while adding that she’s looking forward to playing Page again.

“Our regional game with them was a close game,” she said. “I know Page is going to bring it but we’re also going to bring it, too.”

In Friday’s contest the Scouts were led by Tso as she scored seven of her 13 points in the third period. Junior guard Devaé Willie also finished in double figures as she finished with 11 markers and three treys.

For Show Low, Aubrie Wilson scored 11 and Raquel Wilson added nine.

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