Chinle Lady Wildcats and Ganado Lady Hornets played strong basketball for 32 minutes.

When the horn sounded to end the game, Chinle emerged with a 51-27 victory in 3A North Region action. With its victory, Chinle has secured second place in the 3A North Region with a 6-3 record. The Lady Wildcats are 15-6 overall.

Ganado dropped to 5-4 in region action and the Lady Hornets are 17-10 overall. Ganado sits in third place in the region. The Lady Hornets have the upper hand over Tuba City, who is also 5-4. Ganado has a 2-0 head-to-head record over Tuba City. The Lady Warriors are 15-7 overall.

The 3A North Region regular season is winding down. The final regular season 3A North Region ends this Saturday.

Next week, February 7-9, the 3A North Regional Tournament is scheduled for three different venues.

On February 7, first round action is scheduled for Monument Valley High School Nash Gymnasium in Kayenta.

Action shifts to Ganado High School Hornet Pavilion in Burnside Junction on February 8 with semifinal games.

The February 9 games will be played at Window Rock High School Events Center in Fort Defiance for Third Place and Championship games.

Page Lady Sand Devils remain in first place in the region standings with an unblemished 8-0 mark. The Lady Sand Devils are 19-4 overall.

With its lost to Tuba City tonight, Monument Valley dropped to 1-8 in region. The Lady Mustangs are 8-16 overall. Window Rock was idle tonight. The Lady Scouts are 1-7 in region and 10-13 overall.

Girls

Chinle 51, Ganado 27

Chinle head coach Francine McCurtain stresses defense. McCurtain said the Lady Wildcats played strong defense.

"It was a good hard fought win against the Hornets," McCurtain said. "Our focus is always defense and to use the inside as much as we can with distribution. Both teams did a great job."

Chinle took a seven point advantage at the end of the first quarter, 15-8. The Lady Wildcats netted 11 points, while the Lady Hornets tallied four points. The Lady Hornets held a 26-12 halftime lead.

At the end of the third quarter, Chinle held a 40-21 lead, after the Lady Wildcats outscored the Lady Hornets, 14-7. Chinle canned 11 points to Ganado's six markers during the final eight minutes of action.

Chinle's outstanding senior post Stacey Begay poured in 22 points. Grayce Claw added 12 points for the Lady Wildcats.

Michelene Coleman scored 10 points to pace Ganado. Jayla McIntosh chipped in with six points for the Lady Hornets.

Girls

Tuba City 52, Monument Valley 38

The Tuba City Lady Warriors chalked up an important 3A North Region victory over the Kayenta Monument Valley Lady Mustangs, 52-38.

Tuba City head coach Kimberly Williams said the key to the win was defense.

"Our defensive effort was good by the whole team," Williams said. "It was a good distribution of the ball and a lot of assists. We made them rush their shots and push the ball."

Larissa Yazzie topped Tuba City with 14 points. Mykeya Sheppard added 12 points for the Lady Warriors.

Tayla Nez netted 12 points and Jazlyn Lane chipped in with nine points for Monument Valley.

Girls

Holbrook 40, Winslow 35

The Winslow could muster one point in the first and second quarters, as the Lady Bulldogs dropped a 40-35 loss to nearby rival Holbrook Lady Roadrunners in an important 3A East Region game.

Holbrook canned six points in the first quarter and added 14 points in the second period. Holbrook held a 20-2 halftime lead.

Winslow battled back in the third quarter, netting 15 points. Holbrook hit four points. The Lady Roadrunners held a 24-17 lead. The tempo of the game shifted into high gear in the fourth quarter. Winslow outscored Holbrook, 18-16.

"We played a great first half, holding them to just two points," said Holbrook head coach Greg Perkins. We knew they would come out strong in the third quarter and they did. Once we settled down a little in the fourth quarter, we were able to escape with the win. They are a good team and we were fortunate to win."

Madison Chappell led Holbrook with 11 points and Megan Cummings tallied 10 points for Holbrook.

"My team had a slow first half and a strong second half," said Winslow head coach Jerron Jordan. "Both teams played extremely hard."

Andrea Willeto led Winslow with 11 points and Kylie Begay added 10 points.

Girls

Page 53, American Leadership Academy-Gilbert North 42

Page Lady Sand Devils posted a 53-42 victory over American Leadership Academy-Gilbert North in a freedom game.

Page held a 15-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Lady Sand Devils extended its lead to nine points, 29-20, at halftime. The Lady Sand Devils outscored American Leadership Academy, 14-9, during the second quarter.

The Lady Sand Devils continued its lead, outscoring American Leadership Academy, 13-12. Page held a 42-32 lead at the end of the third stanza. Page tallied 11 points to American Leadership Academy's 10 points in the fourth quarter.

Mikayla Benally poured in 22 points, followed by Camryn Nockideneh added 13 points and Meagan Fuller netted nine points for Page.

Boys

Chinle 77, Ganado 52

The Chinle Wildcats clinched the 3A North Region regular season title with a 77-52 victory over the Ganado Hornets.

With the victory, Chinle earned the No. 1 seed in next week's regional tournament. Chinle is 9-0 in region and 23-4 overall.

Ganado dropped to 1-8 in region play and are 4-18 overall.

Chinle raced out to a 19-8 first quarter lead. The Wildcats extended its lead in the second quarter. The Wildcats outscored the Hornets, 22-14, for a 41-22 halftime lead.

Ganado tallied 17 points to Chinle's 16 points in the third period. The Wildcats held a 57-39 lead. Chinle canned 20 points in the fourth quarter to Ganado's 13 points.

Cooper Burbank knocked down 24 points, followed by Kylen Yazzie with 13 points and Colin Yazzie with 12 points for Chinle.

"We played hard on both ends of the court, however, we were inconsistent on both ends that allowed too many easy baskets for the Hornets," said Chinle head coach Raul Mendoza. "Offensively, we missed too many easy baskets."

Lane Uentillie tallied 18 points and Daunte Morgan added 12 points for Ganado.

Boys

Winslow 54, Holbrook 52

Winslow battled back from an eight point deficit in the third quarter to post a 54-52 victory over the Holbrook Roadrunners in an important 3A East Region ball game.

Winslow took a eight point lead, 21-13, at the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs held a 33-24 lead at halftime, after outscoring the Roadrunners, 12-11, in the second quarter.

Holbrook shot well in the third quarter. The Roadrunners outscored the Bulldogs, 20-3, in the third quarter for a 44-36 lead. The Bulldogs knocked down 18 points to the Roadrunners' eight points in the fourth quarter.

Elias Stewart and Zachary Wagner both tallied 14 points apiece to lead Winslow. Dustin Richard added eight points for the Bulldogs.

"Holbrook played really hard tonight and gave great effort, making it a close game," said Winslow head coach Scott Corum. "We had to overome some bumps and bruises with a short bench tonight. We found ourselves down by eight points with about three minutes left in the game. So, we turned up our defensive intensity by a notch."

Corum added, "Elias Stewart hit some big shots down the stretch and Dustin Richard had a huge offensive rebound and a put back late in the game to give us the lead for good."

Boys

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In a freedom game, the Page Sand Devils chalked up a 61-37 victory over American Leadership Academy-Gilbert North.

Page raced out to a 16-9 first quarter lead. The Sand Devils continued to shoot well in the second quarter, outscoring American Leadership Academy, 22-5, for a 38-14 halftime advantage.

Both teams scored 11 points apiece in the third quarter. The Ssnd Devils held s 49-25 lead when the third quarter expired. The teams both netted 12 points in the fourth quarter.

Juatin Salabiye led Page with 17 points, followed by Gabe Gomez with 15 points, Anu Sloan with 13 points.

"The team had 18 steals which resulted in 34 points," said Page head coach Russ Skubal. "The defensive intensity was great in the first half. We also outrebounded a substantially taller team, 32 to 25. We held them to 33 per cent from the field. So, the defense is what got us the lead. I am proud of the effort of these players."