The Holbrook Lady Roadrunners won their second tournament of the season with a 44-43 win over Ganado in the championship game of the Round Valley Tournament held over the weekend. The Birds began the tournament on Thursday in fine form with an 82-24 win over Morenci in pool play. They piled up 52 first half points behind eight three-point shots in the first two quarters. Holbrook’s defense got the job done throughout the game en route to the win. Elena Smith led the way in scoring with 14 points. Ariyana Pratt and Tyanna Smith added 13 each; Dishie Kinlicheenie, 11; Aiyana Gary, 8; Madison Chappell and Alishea Kee, 5 each; Tyler Pacheco, 4; Rayanna Wauneka, 3; and Twyla Clark, Dakota Dick and Shoshawnna Jack, 2 each. Their second game on Thursday resulted in the Roadrunners’ first loss of the season when they fell to Ganado, 51-41. They struggled behind an 18 percent shooting night against the Lady Hornets’ tough defense and found themselves on the wrong side of the final score. Pratt led the team in scoring with 9 points. Smith added 7; Clark and Pacheco, 5 each; Chappell, 4 each; Wauneka and Gary, 3 each; and Tyanna Smith and Dick, 2 each. Jaelynn Curley and Jam McIntosh led Ganado with 14 each. Holbrook bounced back from that loss on Friday morning with a 50-14 win over an overmatched St. Johns team. The Roadrunners dominated early, leading 34-8 at the half. Pratt and Wauneka led the scoring with 9 each. Chappell added 8; Dick, 7; Elena Smith, 6; Pacheco, 5; Gary, 4; and Kee, 2. That win moved Holbrook into the semifinal round where the Roadrunners faced Thatcher, which came in highly ranked in the 2A division. The Roadrunners jumped on the Lady Eagles early, building an 18-point lead midway through the second period. By the half the Eagles had cut the lead to 10, then down the stretch the game tightened. Thatcher tied the score late in the game, but a steal and layup by Pratt gave Holbrook the cushion it needed to secure the 46-44 win and move them into the championship game against Ganado. Pratt led the team in scoring with 15 points. Wauneka added 7; Chappell and Dick, 6 each; Gary, 4; Kinlicheenie, 3; Kee and Clark, 2 each; and Elena Smith, 1. In the title game the Roadrunners held on to avenge their earlier loss to the Hornets with a one-point win, handing Ganado its first loss of the season in the process. Holbrook led 10-8 at the end of the first and built a six-point lead at the half behind a pair of three-point bombs from Elena Smith. The Hornets trimmed the lead to four heading to the fourth, then they took the lead for the first time at 41-40 with just over three minutes left. The teams exchanged leads until the Hornets went on top 43-42 behind an impressive drive and score from Jaelynn Curley. With just 14 seconds left Dick took the inbounds pass and dribbled the length of the court before lofting the ball over two defenders, putting Holbrook back on top 44-43 with time still left on the clock. Ganado worked its way to an open look with just a few seconds left, but the shot missed the mark and Wauneka gathered in the rebound, sealing the Birds’ second tournament title of the season. “We knew we could play better than we did in the first meeting with them and we did. They still played tough defense and really limited our inside game, but my girls played a little harder, especially on defense, and showed a lot of patience down the stretch on offense,” said Holbrook Coach Greg Perkins. “Dakota really stepped up her game both against Thatcher in the semifinal round and in the title game. Ariyana also had a solid tournament. Madison didn’t score like she has been, but like I told her, there are more ways to help a team than scoring, and she, along with others, played great defense, and got key steals and rebounds. We knew we had to get the ball out of their point guards hands as much as possible. Jaeylnn is a great player and really makes her team click. We felt if we could take her away as much as possible, we could beat them. We were lucky they missed an open shot at the end, but we also deserved to win the game with our effort.” Ariyana Pratt and Twyla Clark were both named to the all tournament team. The Roadrunners are now 11-1. After playing at Chinle on Tuesday, they will host Blue Ridge on Friday, Dec. 16.