Shiprock girls upset Bernalillo in 4A bracket
By Truman Begaye
Special to the Times
WINDOW ROCK
A first quarter drought, a second quarter comeback, and a 12-point upset victory secured the Shiprock Lady Chieftains a berth into the 4A girls state quarterfinals. The Chieftains, the No. 11 seed, defeated sixth-seeded Bernalillo on the road during Friday’s opening round of the 2026 New Mexico Girls Basketball State Championships.
Senior Nicolette Howard led Shiprock with 15 points while senior Tegan Howe added 14 as the Chieftains erased an early deficit and steadily pulled away in the second half.
The opening quarter belonged to Bernalillo. The Lady Spartans jumped out to a 16-4 lead as Shiprock struggled to find its rhythm offensively. Freshman Keyin White knocked down a lone 3-pointer for the Chieftains while Howe added one of two free throws.
Meanwhile, junior Trinity Calabaza paced Bernalillo early, scoring five of her 18 points in the first quarter. Five other Spartans also contributed to the early run as Bernalillo carried a 12-point lead into the second period.
Shiprock began to shift the momentum in the second quarter, outscoring Bernalillo 17-8 in the period to cut the deficit to one possession by halftime. Senior Abigail McDonald sparked the rally with six points while Howe added five and Howard chipped in four. White also contributed with a basket as Shiprock closed the half trailing just 24-21.
The momentum carried into the second half as Shiprock continued its push in the third quarter, outscoring Bernalillo 18-12 to take its first lead of the game. Howe scored five points in the period while juniors Madisen Duncan, Kylie Benally, and McDonald each connected from beyond the arc. White and Howard added field goals as the Chieftains moved ahead 39-36 heading into the final quarter.
Shiprock sealed the win in the fourth, outscoring Bernalillo 16-9 in the final frame to secure the 12-point victory. Howard led the closing surge with eight points, including 4-of-6 from the free throw line along with two field goals. Howe and White each drained 3-pointers while Benally added two free throws.
Calabaza and junior Samaria Brown each scored three points in the final quarter for Bernalillo, but the Spartans were unable to close the gap.
With the win, Shiprock improves to 16-13 overall and advances to the quarterfinal round where they will face the Albuquerque Academy Lady Chargers (24-5) at The Pit in Albuquerque on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
Bernalillo finishes its season with a 23-6 record after placing third in District 6-4A.
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