Forced turnovers and offensive rebounds that led to second-chance points sent the Durango High School girls basketball team to a landslide win Monday night.
The Class 4A Demons (4-5) pressured the Class 2A Mancos Blue Jays (0-5) and tormented the visiting team inside the DHS gymnasium. Durango raced out to a 12-0 lead and was up 27-6 at halftime. After DHS held Mancos scoreless in the third quarter en route to a 45-6 advantage, a mercy rule running clock was implemented in the fourth quarter, and the Demons quickly closed out a 50-10 victory.
“We played a lot of good teams last weekend, and we were trying to bring that same level of play, and I think we came out pretty strong,” said DHS senior Emma Fitzgerald, who scored a game-high 10 points. “We had trouble finishing some of our shots and layups, but as the game went on, we got better.”
Though Durango’s outside shots did not fall through the hoop much in Monday’s game, its inside scoring was tough for the Blue Jays to stop, especially with Durango aggressive on the offensive rebounds.
Mason Rowland added nine points for DHS, and Maddy McManus scored eight. Sydney Flores chipped in six points, all in the second half, and was key in grabbing rebounds.
“That’s been our goal this season is when we do miss those shots to do whatever we can to get it back up and get the easy buckets,” McManus said. “
Mancos was led by two points each from Emmalee Asnicar, Rhiley Morgan and Kasey Wallace. The Blue Jays made only one shot from the field on a Wallace jumper in the second quarter and scored eight points from the foul line.
“Our press defense works really well,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re an athletic team, so getting after it is something we excel in. The press is effective for this group of feisty girls.”
It was a quality effort from a Durango team that had been busy with five games in as many days.
“It’s been crazy being on the road and driving with the weather,” McManus said. “It was nice to get back to our own court and get a little rest.”
The Demons will now get a break until 2020. A 3 p.m. Jan. 2 game at the Aztec tournament against Thoreau will await Durango.
“We will be able to practice some, but the kids need a break,” DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick said. “We’ve played nine games in 10 days basically. The NBA doesn’t even travel that much. They’re a little tired. We will get the break, get refocused, and then it will be nice to get some games in before the league schedule begins.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com