3A NORTH REGION HOOPS

GIRLS

PAGE 44, WINDOW ROCK 42

No. 8 Page and No. 7 Window Rock played toe-to-toe when the Lady Sand Devils edged the Lady Scouts, 44-42, in an important 3A North Region girl's basketball game in the Events Center on the campus of Window Rock High School in Fort Defiance on Saturday afternoon.

Page improved to 3-3 in region play and 14-5 overall. Window Rock dropped to 2-3 in region competition and 13-6 overall.

Page started off shooting well. Behind the shooting by Torrance Begy, Arianna Jenkins, Ashlyn Adakai, Emma Yazzie and Chamique Nez, the Lady Sand Devils off setted a pair of free throws by Window Rock's Jana Solee and a basket by Shinezbi Teller, for a 7-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Page sophomore Miquedah Taliman knocked the opening basket to begin the second quarter, for a 9-4 advantage. A three-point basket by Teller with 6:10 remaining in the second quarter, knotted the game at 9-9.

The Lady Sand Devils battled back. With 3:04 left in the second period, Taliman knocked down a trey, knotting the game at 13-13. A baket by Alexis Tsosie-Hood gave Window Rock a brief lead, 15-13, with 2:48 remaining.

Page rallied, scoring 10 unanswered points for a 23-15 lead with 1:18 prior to halftime. A buzzer-beater basket by Keyana Goodman brought the Lady Scouts within six points, 23-17 as the second period expired.

Page outscored Window Rock, 6-4 for a 29-21 lead to begin the third quarter. Back-to-back baskets from Terrial Dawes and Teller brought Window Rock within five points, 32-27. A free throw by Torrance Begay gave Page a 34-27 lead with 2:37 remaining.

Tsosie-Hood and Bayle Talkalai canned back-to-back baskets, cutting Page's lead to 34-31, whtn the third stanza ended.

With 5:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, Torrance Begay connected with a basket inside the paint for a 37-33 lead. With 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, Teller and Rachael Smiley combined for four free throws, tying the game at 39-39.

Yazzie canned a free throw and Torrance Begay netted a basket for a 42-39 advantage with 1:07 remaining in the fourth period.

Teller's free throw with 54.2 seconds remaining brought Window Rock within two points, 42-40. Nadya Begay connected with a pair of charity shots with 15.7 seconds remaining, lifted Page to a 44-40 lead. Window Rock was within two points when Smiley knocked down a basket.

Miquedah Taliman led Page with 10 points. Neve Redhair added nine points for the Lady Sand Devils.

Page entertains the Tuba City Lady Warriors, (4-2 region, 15-6 overall), on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Window Rock head coach Sharon Toadecheenie said missed free throws and layups down the stretch that hurt the Lady Scouts.

"We changed defense in the second half that cut the lead enough to win the game," Toadecheenie said. "We had great opportunities. "

Shinezbi Teller was Window Rock's leading scorer with 15 points.

Window Rock will travel to Burnside Junction for a 3A North Region game with No. 3 Ganado Lady Hornets, (5-1 region, 21-2 overall) on Tuesday in a 6 p.m. contest.

3A NORTH REGION HOOPS

BOYS

WINDOW ROCK 46, PAGE 43

No. 23 Window Rock Scouts stunned No. 1 Page Sand Devils, 46-43, in a 3A North Region boy's basketball game in the Events Center at Window Rock High School in Fort Defiance on Saturday evening.

Window Rock improved to 2-3 in region and 12-10 overall with the win. Page is 5-1 in region and 18-2 overall.

Window Rock was down by six points, 40-34, to begin the fourth quarter, when the Scouts stormed back.

Window Rock 5-foot-11 senior Quincy Smith went to work to begin the fourth quarter. Smith knocked down back-to-back three-point baskets to tie the game at 40-40 with 4:42 remaining. Smith's driving layup lifted the Scouts to a 42-40 lead. On the play, Smith suffered a cramp in his calf muscle. Smith left the game for a short while. Smith returned to the contest.

A basket by senior Derian Long gave Window Rock  a 44-40 advantage with 3:30 remaining in the fourth period.

A three-point basket by Page junior Robert Smith brought the Sand Devils within one point, 44-43, with 1:43 remaining.

Scouts' Smith scored with a layup with 25-seconds remaining, giving Window Rock the victory.

Page's Gabe Gomez and Jonah Holiday combined for 11 points in the first quarter. Gomez tallied eight point and Holiday added a three point basket.

Window Rock's Cauy Silversmith canned four points, Adrian Destea and Trajon Bizardi each netted three points and Marion Ynunza added a basket for 12 points in the first frame.

Page 6-foot-9 junior post Stuart Sandall scored the Sand Devils' first six points, including a slam dunk, as Page held a 17-14 lead with 5:16 left in the second quarter.

With 1:16 left, Sandall's basket gave Page a 22-21 lead with 1:16 prior to halftime. Window Rock regained the lead, 23-22 on a basket by Destea with 37 remaining. Bizardi's buzzer beater gave Window Rock a 26-24 lead at halftime.

After exchanging baskets to begin the third quarter, Page held a 36-32 advantage on a three-pointer from Jonah Holiday. A basket by Destea brought the Scouts within two points,m 36-34, with 2:03 left. A pair of baskets from Sandall gave Page a 40-34 advantage as the third quarter expired.

Window Rock head coach Tom Bizardi said the Scouts are continuing to build as the season rolls.

"The guys are responding," Bizardi said. "Tonight's win is a good showing that the building process is in progress. The team chemistry is showing. The guys are working together. For remainder of the season, the guys have to be consistent. We have to win our remaining games. We have the guys to do it. We have to play solid defense and execute offensively. The 3A North is strong anf challenging."

Window Rock travels to face the Ganado Hornets, (0-6 region, 3-17 overall) at Burnside Junction on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Quincy Smith led Window Rock with 14 points, Adrian Destea added 11 points and Trajon Bizardi canned nine points with his long range shooting.

Stuart Sandall canned 16 points, followed by Gabe Gomez with 10 points and Robert Smith netted nine points for Page.

Page hosts Tuba City, (2-4 region, 10-10 overall), on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in region action.