Two tough defensive team lock horns; Shiprock victorious

FARMINGTON

The District 1-4A opener between Navajo Preparatory School and Shiprock High School ended the way it started — with tough defense.

The teams went head-to-head defensively, but it was Shiprock who survived with a defensive move with seconds on the clock to collect the 53-51 win last Thursday.

Shiprock head coach Chester Atcitty, Jr., said the way his team played and won, was hopefully the start of them being able to see how defense can win games.

“They’re still young, but they’re hopefully buying into it and hopefully starting to understand a little bit that defense does help, and it’s a big part of the game,” he said. “Offense you do win with it by scoring, but more importantly, getting stops as much as possible; limiting them (opposing teams) to one touch of the ball on the offensive end, then securing it from them so hopefully we can capitalize on their mistakes.”

Shiprock played some tough-enough defense in the first quarter to limit Navajo Prep to scoring eight points, and the Eagles did the same. Navajo Prep led 8-7 after one quarter.

When both teams settled in and accepted the nearly sold-out crowd, things started to heat up.

Navajo Prep set the pace in the second quarter with a three-point basket by Treston Yazzie, and Shiprock answered back with a 9-0 run.

As expected, Navajo Prep came charging back, tying the game up at 18-18. Missing opportunities and turnovers on Navajo Prep’s end gave Shiprock the 24-21 lead going into the half.

Navajo Prep head coach Rick Hoerner said he told his team at the break that defense was the least of their worries.

“We kind of knew what to expect of each other, which made it difficult. Yeah, I thought it’d be tight,” he said. “I think a lot of it the first half, I think we just had the jits (jitters) a little bit early. Our place isn’t this full all the time, but we seemed to get out of that, we were playing hard I thought. I always say as long as we play hard good things are going to happen. We went into halftime and I said, ‘We did everything well except score.’”

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