Striking Eagle Basketball Invitational

Defense carries the day for Lady Mustangs

CASA BLANCA, N.M.

The Monument Valley Lady Mustangs used a pair of big runs in the second half to score a huge 66-58 win over Laguna-Acoma in the opening round of the 5th annual Striking Eagle Basketball Invitational.

After trailing by as much as nine points in the third quarter, the Mustangs tighten its defense as they went on a late 10-3 run to get within 45-42 heading into the fourth quarter behind a five-point effort from senior Nizhoni Whitehorse and junior guard Alyssa Byjoe.

Monument Valley then used a 13-3 run in the middle of the final stanza and earned a little breathing room as they built a 61-50 cushion with 2:03 left in regulation after senior guard Shayla Yazzie hit two free throws.

Incidentally, it was Yazzie who started that run as she picked up an errant pass intended for Whitehorse. With position down low, the ball sailed over Whitehorse’s head and it appeared it was going to go out of bounds. Needless to say, Yazzie picked up the loose ball and nailed a trey that gave MV a 51-47 lead with 5:22 left in the game.

“It was hard mentally for them to comeback but we really emphasized playing defense,” Monument Valley coach Sophia Parrish said. “The girls push themselves and tonight they held themselves accountable on what they needed to do on the floor.”

Laguna-Acoma coach Randy Hunt agreed.

“No excuses but the stats showed that we got outhustled,” he said. “Our girls played good in spurts but we don’t have the same firepower like they do.

“They hit some threes at key times and they made their free throws,” he added.

Monument Valley converted 11-of-22 free throws while Laguna-Acoma made 10-of-32.

“We missed a lot of free throws and we missed some uncontested shots and that shows that we’re still young,” Hunt said. “We have to be mentally tough and I don’t think that is our vocabulary right now.”

Parrish said getting the W was a nice confidence booster, especially after the Mustangs came into this contest on a three game losing streak.

“Honestly we have been on a slump,” she said “The hardest part about this team is we’re trying to find that cohesion because we have two players who are back on the team that didn’t play last year and I have two incoming freshmen that are new.”

Parrish said it’s taken a little longer for her team to find that cohesion but they are making strides in that direction.

“We’re building ourselves up and we’re learning the game together,” she said.

Whitehorse paced the Mustangs with 18 points while Yazzie added 17.

For Laguna-Acoma, Shaylyn Smith finished with 16 points and Talia Paytiamo had 15 points. Marissa Kie also added 13.

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