Monticello basketball returns to action with a Lady Buck win over Grand County in Moab

On Thursday, December 3 the Monticello High School girls basketball team tipped off the 2020-21 season on the road when they traveled to face the Grand County Lady Red Devils in Moab.

Last season, Monticello beat Grand County both times the teams played, but with a new year and new players the outcome of the game was not exactly certain. 

The Lady Bucks started the game on their heels with Grand taking an early 7-5 first quarter lead. In the quarter, Saydee Adams and Olivia Chamberlain both made baskets and Ali Barry added a foul shot.

The Grand lead swelled to 17-13 at the half despite two baskets from Adams and another from Amy Lewis. Keeping pace, Avery Shumway and Kennedy Brewer each made a foul shot in the quarter.

Despite being down at the half, the Lady Bucks seized control of the game in the third quarter on buckets from Ali Barry, Kennedy Brewer, Adams, two from Ciara McCarthy, and two free throws from Avery Shumway.

That production helped the team double up the Lady Devils in the quarter 12-6 to take a 25-23 lead into the fourth quarter. 

The fourth was a tight battle down the stretch, but when the final horn sounded Monticello had won the quarter 11-10 and walked off the court with a hard fought 36-33 win.

Shumway was clutch in the final quarter; she was a perfect four of four from the foul line and hit a field goal to lead the girls. Adams also had three points in the final frame with Brewer and McCarthy each adding one foul shot.

Marcia Shumway’s first win as Monticello’s head coach was very much a team effort with seven girls finding the scoring column. Senior Saydee Adams led the team in scoring with 11 points.

Sophomore Avery Shumway helped her mother’s cause with nine points. She hit seven of the eight free throws she attempted.

Junior Ciara McCarthy had a nice game with five points. Senior Kennedy Brewer scored four, sophomores Amy Lewis and Ali Barry poured in three apiece, and senior Olivia Chamberlain added a bucket in the win.

The Lady Bucks remained on the road early in the week with a trip to Blanding to play the San Juan Lady Broncos on Tuesday, December 8.

Monticello’s first home game is set for this Thursday, December 10 when the 1A Green River Lady Pirates come to town. Unfortunately, due to Utah High School Activities rules regarding COVID-19, only the parents of players can attend the games.

Boys basketball
The Monticello boys also tipped off their season with a trip to Richfield on Friday and Saturday, December 4-5 for the Central Utah Preview.

Game one Friday featured a matchup with Kanab, in which the Bucks started slowly and the Cowboys jumped out to a 12-5 first quarter lead.

But the second quarter was a different story as the Bucks outscored Kanab 11-6 to make the halftime lead enjoyed by the Cowboys only a bucket at 18-16.

As good as the second quarter was for Monticello, the Cowboys turned the table and repeated the first quarter outscoring the Bucks in the third quarter 12-5 to seize a commanding 30-21 lead heading into the final frame. In that quarter, Kanab edged Monticello by a point to close out a 41-31 win.

Monticello really struggled from the field hitting just 23 percent of their shots. They were three of 18 from beyond the three-point line and an anemic 50 percent from the foul line.

But the Bucks had a decent game on the boards winning the offensive rebound battle 9-8. They were out-rebounded by the Cowboys 32-28 overall, however.

The Bucks did do some things ending the game with more steals than Kanab (11 to 9) and taking three charges. 

Cedar English led the Bucks in scoring with 19 points. He added three rebounds, an assist, four steals, and one three-pointer.

Joe Boyle hit for six points on two threes in the game and added a couple rebounds. Devin Hatch scored four points with three rebounds and a steal.

Landon Ewart rounded out the scoring with two points, but pulled down a co-team-high five rebounds. Easton Young and Boston Freestone didn’t make the scoring column but Young pulled down five boards, had an assist, and a steal. Freestone also had five rebounds, made one assist, had one block and five steals.

On Saturday, the Bucks faced the defending 2A runners up and number-two-ranked Enterprise Wolves who were coming off a dominating win over North Sevier 58-39 the night before.

Enterprise steadily built a nice lead in the first half, winning the first quarter 16-10 and the second 15-11 to take a 31-21 lead into the half.

The Wolves put the game away in the third quarter when they dominated the Bucks 25-9. The final quarter was the closest of the day with a 10-9 edge in favor of Enterprise closing out the Bucks 66-39.

Monticello once again struggled from the field, hitting 27 percent overall and 19 percent from beyond the arc. But the Bucks’ foul line shooting improved as they made 63 percent of their eight foul shot attempts.

Joe Boyle and Cedar English tied for high point man honors with 11 apiece. Boyle made a team-high three treys in the game and pulled down four rebounds.

English made one three-point shot and added six rebounds, an assist, and a block. Boston Freestone scored six points with one three, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Devin Hatch, Easton Young, and Landon Ewart added five, four, and two points respectively.

This week, the Bucks hosted former Region 19 foe Green River on Tuesday, December 8. Their game against the Grand County Red Devils has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 17 in Moab.