Joseph City shooter helps upset Chinle

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

CHINLE – Joseph City upset Chinle in the 2024 Southwest Food Excellence Winter Classic Boys Basketball championship game.

The 1A school defeated Chinle 69-56 Saturday at the Wildcat Den in Chinle. Juniors Jaimen Tsosie and Cort Miller led Joe City with 17 points each as four players scored in double figures.

Sophomore Jaxon Arnell chipped in 14 points and senior Landon Miller added 10 as Joseph City nailed 21-of-42 shots, including a 9-of-16 effort from beyond the 3-point line.

Junior Jaiden Lee for Chinle led the team with 18 points, with 11 coming in the third quarter.

Joseph City began their journey through the tournaments with wins over Red Mesa, Kingman, and Many Farms to get into the championship game. For Chinle they defeated Rough Rock, Navajo Prep and Pine Hill to square off with the Wildcats of Joseph City.

Joe City got out to a quick start as sophomore guard Jaxon Arnell hit two shots, including a 3-pointer, for a 5-0 advantage.

The visitors increased that margin to 12-3 following baskets by junior guard Eli James and Tsosie while freshman Kase Fish added a trey with two minutes left in the quarter.

Chinle cut into that margin and trailed 12-8 at the end of the quarter, highlighted by a 3-point shot from sophomore Kaleb Guy and a two-point shot from Kalem Denetsosie.

Chinle inched closer at the start of the second stanza and pulled within 13-12, but Joseph City went on an 23-11 run for a 36-23 halftime lead.

In the third, Lee scored seven and helped Chinle pull within 39-30 with over four minutes left.

But for the next two minutes, the visiting Wildcats used an 8-2 run to extend their lead to 47-32.

Chinle went another run thanks to Lee, who put in 11 of his 18 points in the third and trailed 48-40 heading into the fourth.

Chinle got as close as six, 57-51, with less than three minutes left, but Joseph City hit 10-of-12 free throws to seal the win.

Joseph City head coach Eric Miller was in disbelief that his team had beaten Chinle, a formidable 3A North opponent.

“This is rather shocking to beat Chinle,” Miller said. “The kids put in work, and they finally see some success.”

As for Tsosie’s performance, Miller quipped, “I tell him he can shot whenever he wants. During practice we have 3-point drills and he always get to shoot 3s because of what he does in practice. All my coaching, I never had a kid get to the level of being able to shoot when he needs to shoot. He is a good shooter.”

Tsosie credited his teammates for his 17-point outburst.

“My teammates help me create those shots,” he said. “Really, I didn’t think we would win against Chinle, but we got it.”

Miller said competing in the Chinle tournament will help prepare his club for 1A region play.

“Playing teams like Chinle, we get a lot of experience that I hope carries us through the region and into state competition,” the Joseph City coach said.

Chinle coach CJ Woods conceded that Joseph City played a great game.

“First of all congratulations to Joseph City. They came to play and played defense very well,” Woods said. “I knew a few of their players were going to cause us some problems, but Tsosie, I’m impressed. He can drive and shoot 3’s.

“Games like this help us prepare for the 3A North,” he added. “This is the best thing that can happen for us. We get to experience some serious competition. Them, Navajo Prep. This was a good tournament. Now we look forward to next year (second part of the season) and prepare for regions.”

Chinle, which closed out the first half of the season at 10-5 overall, heads into the new year visiting the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center to take on the Window Rock Fighting Scouts on January 4.

“I recommend you come and watch each team,” Woods said. “Each team will showcase one or two players that will be hard to defend.”

Joseph City (9-4) will travel to Ash Fork to take on the Spartans on January 3 to open up 1A Central play.