Five county teams to compete in 1A basketball tournament
The 1A state basketball tournament is set and five of the six 1A teams in San Juan County have qualified for the tournament this week in Richfield.
Among those five teams is the Monument Valley boys basketball team, who earned their right to play in the tournament with a win in a do-or-die play-in game on February 26.
The Monument Valley Cougars defeated region foe Green River 81-63 in the final game of the season at Monument Valley High School.
The Cougars controlled the game throughout, earning a 15-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, a lead they extended by three points in the second quarter for a 34-17 halftime score.
The Pirates outscored the Cougars by four points in the third quarter and drew close in the final frame, but a 27-14 fourth quarter helped Monument Valley secure the win.
The game was a rubber match as Monument Valley and Green River split the results in their first two games of the year. Monument Valley won 64-55 at home in January and dropped a 71-46 game in Green River in February. In that game, the Cougars were without their main ball handler, Seth Sheppard.
On Saturday, Sheppard showed out in a big way leading all scorers as he dropped 27 points in the game. Teammate Doreon Chee was not far behind scoring 25 points, including 19 in the second half. Keyshawn Atene was the third scorer of Monument Valley’s three-headed monster. Atene scored 18 points in the game.
Kendall Phillips scored eight for the Cougars while Levander Hicks added two and Theo Tohsonnie scored one on the game.
With the win, the #11 seed Cougars advance to state tournament play. Monument Valley plays at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday night against #6 Tabiona at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield. The Cougars will play their second game of the tournament at 1 p.m. on Thursday.
Also in action over the weekend was the Monticello lady Buckaroos. Monticello made the trip to Milford High School to take on the Tigers in their play-in game.
The Lady Bucks fought hard but fell to Milford 49-33. Monticello finished the year third in Region 23 play.
Four other San Juan County 1A basketball teams had the week off as they advanced to the state tournament with first-round byes.
The top-seeded local team in the 1A tournament is the Monument Valley girls basketball team.
The #3 seed Monument Valley open state tournament play at Richfield High School on Wednesday, March 2, at 7 p.m. The Cougars will play #14 seed, Milford. Monument Valley will play its second game of the tournament at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Also earning byes into the state tournament was the Monticello Buckaroos boys basketball team.
The #9 seed Buckaroos open state tournament play at the Sevier Valley Center on Wednesday, March 2 at 2:30 p.m. The Bucks will play #8 seed Valley, their second game of the tournament will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Both Whitehorse girls and boys basketball teams earned automatic bids to the state tournament.
The #8 seed lady Raiders open state tournament play at Richfield High School on Wednesday, March 2 at 2:30 p.m. The Whitehorse girls play #9 Water Canyon, their second game of the tournament will be at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The #5 seed Whitehorse boys basketball team opens tournament play at the Sevier Valley Center on Wednesday, March 2 at 11:30 a.m., their second game of the tournament will be at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Fans will be able to watch the tournament online at https://local10.centracom.com/.
Red Rock 92.7 FM will be following all five San Juan County teams with pre-game and post-game interviews all throughout the state tournament run.