Whitehorse basketball teams aim to build momentum

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The Whitehorse High School girls basketball team traveled to Bicknell, UT this past Tuesday, February 3 to take on Wayne, the top-ranked team in Utah 1A girls basketball.
The sixth-ranked Lady Raiders battled hard but suffered a tough 52-42 loss to the Lady Badgers. It was the first loss in six games for Whitehorse and just their second loss in their last 13 games.
Wayne opened strong in front of their home fans, building a 15-9 lead by the time the buzzer sounded to end the first quarter. They stretched their advantage to 29-19 by halftime.
From that point the Lady Raiders kept pace with the Lady Badgers, but the damage was done. Whitehorse won the third quarter 11-10. Wayne outscored them 13-12 in the final frame.
Keiarra Martin was held to 20 points in the loss, around seven points under her season average. Hannah Clark and Keira Chee poured in eight points apiece for Whitehorse.
Lakyara Begay and Malia Sam rounded out the scoring for the Lady Raiders with five points and one point respectively. Martin hit two three-point baskets in the loss.
Keira Chee led the team with nine rebounds. Lakyara Begay pulled down six boards and several players had one rebound apiece.
Following the setback the Whitehorse girls returned home for a dominant 54-11 win over Region 19 foe Pinnacle on Thursday, February 6.
The Lady Raiders shut out the Lady Panthers for the entire first half to lead 33-0 at the break. They cruised to victory in the second half.
The Whitehorse starters did not play the entire game in earnest as most of the players on the roster got the opportunity to see some varsity time.
Still, Martin scored 13 points on the night, Keira Chee got 12, Begay added eight, and Clark and Sam both scored six.
Laylah Benally contributed four points to the win, Kelaigha Nakai scored two, and Kaleigh Chee rounded out Whitehorse scoring with one point.
Martin accounted for the Lady Raiders’ only three-point bucket on the night. Keira Chee led the team with 11 rebounds. Malia Sam pulled down five.
Whitehorse is 16-5 on the season and they dropped one spot to seventh in the Utah 1A standings, but they’re still in line for a first-round bye and a home game in the second round of the state tournament on Saturday, February 21.
If nothing changes in the standings before the end of the week they’ll host #10 Wendover. But first they’re set to close out the regular season this Thursday, February 12 when the rival Monument Valley Lady Cougars pay a visit to Montezuma Creek for the Battle of the Drum.
The Whitehorse boys basketball team broke a four-game losing streak with an exciting 58-57 home win over Milford on Friday, February 6. The team suffered a 76-48 loss at Wayne on February 3 and an 88-75 loss to Pinnacle on February 5.
Against Wayne Hyatt Thomas led the team with a solid 20 points. Adam Joe tallied ten points; Elam Etsitty seven; Brayden John five; and Aiden Hamm, Tristan Black, and Caiden Lansing with two each. Thomas hit two threes in the game with Etsitty and John tallying one each.
In the loss to Pinnacle Etsitty scored 23 points, Thomas collected 20, Aiden Hamm got 11, and Adam Joe had ten. Caiden Lansing scored four points for the Raiders, Tyrell Black got three, and Dillon Leo and Alex Thompson scored two apiece.
Elam Etsitty led the team with a trio of three-point baskets. Hyatt Thomas and Aiden Hamm both hit two, and Tyrell Black got one.
In the win over Milford this past Friday Whitehorse overcame a 17-7 deficit after the first quarter to score 26 points in the second and lead 33-30 at halftime.
The game went back and forth in the second half, but the Raiders outscored the Tigers 13-11 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Four Whitehorse players scored in double figures on the night. Tyrell Black led with 20 points, Adam Joe netted 13, Hyatt Thomas 11, and Elam Etsitty ten.
Caiden Lansing rounded out the scoring with four points. Black knocked down a very impressive six threes in the win while Elam Etsitty got one.
The Raiders will close out their regular season on Thursday, February 12 with a Battle of the Drum matchup as Monument Valley brings their buses to Montezuma Creek.
The boys are 8-14 on the season, ranked 14th in the current 1A standings. After the conclusion of the regular season they’ll host a first-round state tournament game, likely against St. Joseph on Tuesday, February 17.