Guarding Jessica Guynes is hard enough. Throw in her identical twin counterpart, Corissa Guynes, and opponents of the Dove Creek Bulldogs girls basketball team really have their hands full.
Such was the situation when the Dove Creek Bulldogs matched up at home against the Monument Valley Cougars on Dec. 12.
Riding a 21-point performance from Jessica Guynes and a 20-point outburst from Corissa Guynes, the Bulldogs stunned their over-matched opponents, sprinting to a 68-33 victory.
“Our guard play was pretty exceptional,” said Bulldogs’ head coach Jim Buffington. “Jessica and Corissa were able to put a lot of points on the board.”
Blitzing Monument Valley with pressure early in the contest and utilizing their quickness on the outside, the Bulldogs pulled ahead 20-11 after the first quarter before opening up a 38-20 halftime margin.
“That first quarter was important to us,” explained Buffington. “Part of our game plan is to start strong and finish stronger.”
Continuing the onslaught in the second half, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 54-29 after the third quarter before nailing down the victory in the fourth.
Complimenting the Guynes twins’ outstanding performance, senior Madison Young recorded six points and 13 rebounds. Senior Shelbie Knuckles added seven points, eight rebounds and five assists.
“We were pretty happy with what we did,” said Buffington. “Preparing for a team that plays run and gun can be tough.”
With their record now at 4-0, the Bulldogs will prepare for a Dec. 17 road matchup against the always-tough Dolores Bears.
“We’ve been working to stay within the confines of our disciplined offense,” said Buffington, discussing his team’s preparation for their upcoming matchup. “We have to be careful trying to do too much offensively.”
imaclaren@cortezjournal.com
