Navajo Prep Lady Eagles soar past Tohatchi in key district win

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

TOHATCHI – The Navajo Prep Lady Eagles (16-5, 7-0) solidified their dominance in District 1-3A with a hard-fought 44-37 victory over the Tohatchi Lady Cougars (11-9, 5-2), extending their winning streak to an impressive 11 games.

Senior forward Lailah McGary led the charge with 17 points, playing a pivotal role in the win. The loss snapped Tohatchi’s five-game winning streak, as turnovers and offensive struggles proved costly.

Since their last defeat to Arizona’s top-ranked Chinle on Dec. 19, the Lady Eagles have outscored opponents by an average of 58 to 35.7 points per game.

Tohatchi came out firing, hitting 6 of 13 shots, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, to take a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. Senior forward Kayanna Capitan led the charge with six points, while junior Shylynn Johnson added five.

Tohatchi’s defense forced Navajo Prep into turnovers, culminating in a last-second layup by junior Maddy Pasquale. McGary kept Navajo Prep within striking distance, contributing six points in the first quarter with an efficient 3-for-5 shooting performance.

However, the second quarter marked a turning point. Navajo Prep shifted to a pressing defense that disrupted Tohatchi’s rhythm, forcing multiple turnovers and holding them scoreless for nearly four and a half minutes.

Despite shooting just 4-for-13, the Lady Eagles managed to claw back, trailing only 22-21 at halftime. Five different players contributed to the scoring effort, showcasing Prep’s balanced offensive attack. Tohatchi managed to end the half with a burst, capped by a last-second layup from senior guard Jewlisa Jimmie.

The Lady Eagles seized control in the third quarter, outscoring Tohatchi 14-8. Sophomore Jayden Conn led the way with five points, while senior Kassidy Jones added four.

Tohatchi struggled offensively, going four minutes without a score until Haily Grey-Mountain connected from beyond the arc, cutting the deficit to 29-25 with 3:51 remaining. During that stretch, Navajo Prep capitalized on four steals, split between McGary and senior forward Shilah Conn, extending their lead to 32-25.

Tohatchi responded with a quick five-point burst, including another three-pointer from Grey-Mountain, trimming the lead to 32-30. A key basket from Isabella Yazzie, her only points of the night, gave Navajo Prep a 35-30 advantage heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter began with both teams struggling to find their offensive rhythm. McGary broke the drought with a clutch 3-pointer, followed by a layup, pushing the Lady Eagles’ lead to 40-30.

Tohatchi junior guard Tatum Mitchell finally answered with a basket at the 3:12 mark, cutting the deficit to eight. McGary continued to lead the charge, scoring seven points in the quarter to secure the victory. Tohatchi managed to add a few late baskets, but their comeback fell short as the scoreboard read 44-37.

“I was just trying to calm them down,” said Navajo Prep head coach Rainy Crisp in regards to the first quarter play. “Playing here is different, and we needed to slow down and play our style. Our defense in the second half made the difference.”

She added, “They’re a quick team, so to really stay in front of them and not allow them to get easy points, we turned into a zone defense, and that really helped us in the third and fourth quarters.”

Reflecting on Tohatchi’s late surge, Crisp noted, “When they get momentum, especially on their home court, it is hard to stop. That’s what happened in the first and even in the second quarter. But our bench came in, hit some crucial shots, and our defense overall was better in the second half.”

Looking ahead, she remarked, “I know we’re going to face them again in the district tournament and at state. We just must do better at what we are doing right now.”

Tohatchi coach Tanisha Bitsoi reflected on the loss, emphasizing the impact of turnovers: “We can’t change anything but just make better decisions. We must take care of the ball. We shot ourselves in the foot with all the turnovers. If we face them again, we just need to stop the turnovers. We know they want it more than we do. If we play like we did in the first quarter, we can beat them.”

McGary, the game’s leading scorer, added, “It was very frustrating to see us fall behind. As a team captain, I had to encourage our players to step up. In return, they encouraged me to play to my level. Coach also tells us to slow it down and get the rebounds. At the end of the first, coach did get after us, and I had to help settle our team.”

Navajo Prep will host Thoreau (11-10) on Thursday, while Tohatchi travels to Crownpoint (9-11) to continue district play. As both teams eye the district tournament, another showdown between these rivals seems inevitable.

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