Quigley, Solee, Billy share POY title

WINDOW ROCK

The 2019-20 season produced a well rounded group of girls’ basketball players.

The list included a dozen players who were very deserving of receiving the Times’ Player of the Year award.

As we do with every sport, our selection process involves our area coaches since the paper cannot cover every team in our coverage area. (Believe me, I’ve tried.)

Nevertheless, we present whom I thought were the top players from this past season: American Leadership Academy-Gilbert North senior Tiffany Quigley, Window Rock senior Jana Solee and Piedra Vista sophomore Lanae Billy.

In addition to those exceptional athletes the Times also picked Navajo Prep’s Rainy Crisp and Rock Point’s Andrew Reed as the Coach of the Year recipients.

Solee said she was surprised to be chosen as POY. She will take her talents to Mesa Community College next season.

“I’m just blessed that I got it,” said Solee, who has made the Times’ all-star list every year since she was a sophomore.

The Window Rock standout said she took on a bigger role this past season, taking over the leadership role.

“Before this year I was never was the leader so that was new for me,” she said. “It took me a while to get used to that.”

According to Maxpreps.com, Solee averaged 13.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.4 spg in 17 games this season as she helped the Lady Scouts to a 16-10 record, which included an appearance at the Arizona 3A state tournament.

Quigley, who has roots in the Sanders, Arizona area, was equally impressed about being selected.

“It’s an honor and knowing that hard work really does pay off in the end,” she said. “It’s like my reward for all the hard work I put in throughout my whole high school career.”

The ALA-Gilbert North senior credits her defensive prowess as being the catalyst for the season she had.

“I grew up knowing that your defense creates your offense and that was what I really focused on,” she said. “I put a lot of my energy on defense.”

Some of that energy, she said, translated to the offensive side as her presence made a noticeable difference at ALA-Gilbert North.

“I always have energy to get the ball and make something happen for myself and my teammates,” said Quigley, who helped her team to a Final Four finish at state.

Billy exuded those same qualities at PV as she finished the season with over 500 points in her sophomore season. To date, she has amassed 1,125 points in her young career.

“I’m honored,” Billy said of her selection. “I’m glad that I got picked out of all of the other players that were considered. I’m just honored.”

Crisp, who picked up her second Times’ COY award, credits her players for putting aside their difference as the Eagles captured the New Mexico Class 3A state title against district rival Tohatchi in the championship game.

“The main thing I was worried about coming into this season was the girls coming together and clicking as a team,” said Crisp. “We had so much talent on this team this year. It’s a great thing but it also can be a struggle and that’s what it was at the beginning of the year.

“I was so glad that these girls put aside their differences and selfishness and really came together as a team,” she added.

The longtime Navajo Prep coach said she was blessed to have a talented team as the Eagles finished with a lofty record of 28-2 as the school picked up its sixth state title, including two under her tenure.

“This team made me look good,” said Crisp. “These girls were all coachable and they were very competitive. They have so much athleticism and my main goal was to have them trust each other.”

Crisp said she was honored to be named COY among a plethora of other coaching greats.

“All of the coaches out there are doing great things,” she said. “Every coach out there does so much for their teams and they give up a lot of sacrifices from their families. It’s a great an honor to receive this and I couldn’t have done without my assistant coaches.”

Crisp said her assistants Jessica Nez and Karley Dodge “were my other set of eyes on the court.”

“They were such a big help,” she said.

Reed, meanwhile, helped the Rock Point team make school history by claiming the Arizona 1A state title with a 25-4 record.

The Lady Cougars upended Baboquivari in the state finals.

“I owe this to the community of Rock Point,” Reed told the Navajo Times after winning the state title. “I’m glad they stayed patient with me. We finally got one.”

Admittedly, Reed said he’s been chasing that elusive gold ball for quite some time.

“I’ve been after this state trophy for the last three years,” he said. “I told my girls that there is no quitting in us now. We were going to dig deep as far as we can and go after that state title.”

For a list of all-stars in girls basketball pick up the Navajo Times.

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