Rock Point girls looking to break through
PINON, Ariz.
Since 2016 the Rock Point girls’ basketball team has been to the Final Four round three straight times, including two appearances in the state title game.
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Rock Point Lady Cougar Tierra John, left, defends a driving Pinon Lady Eagle Shondiin Jim (14) on Saturday.
Considering what they have to work with – that’s quite remarkable. But ask anyone on the team a state championship is missing in that impressive résumé.
Lady Cougar guard Ranisha Begay said it stinks going home without the “gold ball.” But with a senior-laden team they are hoping for a different outcome this year.
“We’ve come real close the past few years,” Begay said. “Not coming home with the state title really hurts.”
Fellow teammate Lara Begay said they have a tough road ahead of them but she feels they have the personnel to make it happen.
“I think we’re going to get there,” she said. “We’re going to make the state title game and we’re going to win that state title.”
Of the three deep runs in the state tournament, Rock Point coach Andrew Reed has been involved in the last two. In his first season, hoisting up the trophy seemed like a strong possibility but the Cougars were taken by surprise when 1A North rival St. Michael beat them in the finals.
Going into that state title game, Rock Point had beaten St. Michael four straight times.
Last year, the Cougars entered the tournament as the No. 9 seed and reached the state semifinals after knocking off top seed Fort Thomas. In the next round, however, Baboquivari eliminated them.
“Our goal is get that gold ball and we are not getting out of here without that,” said Reed, whose team improved to 7-1 after beating Pinon 46-12 on Saturday night. “They set a goal and they are working real hard towards that.”
With a signature win over Ganado at the start of the season, Rock Point has put the state on notice on how good they are. Entering the Christmas break, the Lady Cougars were ranked No. 3 in the latest statewide power ranking polls.
“My girls they have really stepped it up,” Reed said. “Since the Ganado game we’ve been pushing really hard. We’ve had some success with our other games but we know we need to play at another level if we want to win state.”
To read the full article, pick up your copy of the Navajo Times at your nearest newsstand Thursday mornings!
Are you a digital subscriber? Read the most recent three weeks of stories by logging in to your online account.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow