As the girls basketball season winds down, Montezuma-Cortez continues on.
The Lady Panthers continue to struggle. But, they continued to show heart last Friday and Saturday at Montezuma-Cortez High School against Montrose and Grand Junction Central.
Saturdays game with Central saw M-CHS nearly battle back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to force overtime.
However, Sydney Bayles had a good look at a game tying, 3-pointer, but it was no good. M-CHS fell to Central, 50-47.
Yeah, we lost. But it was a lot of fun, Bayles said. You got to take into consideration, that half our team is freshmen. Im so proud of them, because theyve stepped up so much.
It was a rough go Friday night for M-CHS (5-14, 0-7 5A/4A Southwestern League) against Montrose (11-9, 6-1 SWL). The Indians dominated and ran away with a 60-24 win.
Randy Elliot, Sydney Bayles and Baylee Lindsley all scored in the first half Friday. That was literally it.
Montrose ran wild in Cortez. The Lady Panthers had absolutely no answer and trailed 38-6 at halftime.
M-CHS more than totaled its first half point output with eight alone in the third quarter. Bayles ignited some offensive life into the Lady Panthers. She scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, including two 3-pointers.
M-CHS showed signs of life in the third and fourth, but Montrose won easily by 36 points. The Indians swept the Lady Panthers by a combined score of 115-52 this season.
Kala Keltz had a game high 23 points for Montrose, 21 of which came on seven 3s.
On Saturday, M-CHS had a chance to respond against a Central (6-14, 3-4 SWL) team it played to a 4-point game in Grand Junction on Jan. 13. Respond? The Lady Panthers did.
In a back-and-forth half, M-CHS took its early punches, then punched back. Bayles was the early aggressor to set the tone. She hit a baseline jumper to give the Lady Panthers their first lead at 14-13. M-CHS increased its lead to 18-14 with the help upstart freshman Nicole Demby. But back came the Warriors.
Jordan Eller and Brittany Hoppe were responsible for the games next six points to put Central back on top 20-18.
Both teams would battle from there to a 24-24 halftime tie.
The Warriors took an early 29-25 third quarter lead. M-CHS countered with eight straights points behind strapping youngsters Shervanna Benally and Demby. Benallys rim rocking, 18-footer regained the lead for the Lady Panthers at 30-29. Dembys 3-pointer increased the margin to four at 33-29, the biggest lead for M-CHS.
The Lady Panthers eventually led 35-31 and had all the momentum, so it seemed.
With three minutes remaining in the third, the M-CHS offense stalled. The Lady Panthers on defense were left behind.
Central stormed the court running off 15 straight points extending into the fourth quarter. Eller and Hoppe did their thing at the free throw-line and in transition. Amanda Etchevery provided a spark off the Warriors bench with four points during the spurt.
M-CHS trailed 46-35 after an Eller 3-pointer. But on this night, there was no quit in the Lady Panthers.
Bayles scored five straight and Benally tipped in a missed Bayles free throw to immediately get M-CHS back within 46-42. Another Bayles foul shot made the score 46-43.
Eller came back on the other end and delivered the old fashioned three-point-play. Central remained up six points at 50-44 with just over a minute to go, setting up a riveting final 60 seconds.
Tori Laymon hit a free throw and Bayles drove for a layup to make it 50-47. The Lady Panthers had to get the ball back and fouled Tyler Hays with eight seconds left.
Hays missed both and the rebound was snared by Benally. She quickly passed the ball to Bayles and the senior had the open look and let it fly at the buzzer. But, it was no good, and Central hung on for the 3-point win.
I am just so very proud of the way the girls played today, M-CHS coach Justine Bayles said. I know we didnt have the win under our belt, but I was just really, really pleased with the level of play today. Im very lucky to be able to coach them.
Sydney Bayles had a game high 23 points and went 12 of 15 at the charity stripe. Demby, a freshman, had her best game off the bench with 11 points.
I think we just push it in practice, work hard and just leave it all out on the court, Sydney Bayles said. We only have three more games left. We need to leave it all out there and push it as hard as we can.
Eller led Central with 19 points, while Hoppe knocked down 16.
M-CHS will hit the road to Fruita Monument and Grand Junction on Friday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and noon.
NOTES: Starting point guard Lindsley was out Saturday on personal leave. Naomi Pinnecoose returned from an ankle injury.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.