Holbrook entered the Round Valley tournament on the heels of another disappointing home loss and never really turned the corner during the tournament, despite picking up their first two wins of the season in tournament play. Ganado came into Munoz Gym on Tuesday night and left with a 5-point win over a currently struggling Lady Roadrunner team. Holbrook got 5 early points from Raelle Yazzie and Lynea Smith added a layup, helping Holbrook keep pace with the Hornets who led 9-8 after the first. In the second, six different Lady Roadrunners scored but Holbrook found themselves trailing by 2 points at the half. The Birds did find a bit of a groove in the third quarter, building as much as a 6-point lead and led by 4 with one quarter left. However, in the fourth, the Hornets held Holbrook to just 3 points, overtaking them and winning the game 41-35. Raelle Yazzie led Holbrook’s attack with 12 points. Holly Casamero and Maya Francisco added 5 each. Smith and Alayna Yazzie netted 4 each, Nohead Aberle had 3, Chelsey Begay had 2, and Bailey Williams helped with one. Holbrook made just one 3-point field goal and went 7 for 11 at the charity stripe. Ganado was led by Faith James with 13. They had no three-point field goals and hit seven of 13 free throws. Holbrook entered the Round Valley Tournament with two pool games on Thursday. First up was a tall physical Pima team. Holbrook held their own through the first half and led 20-19 at the break. After three they trailed by just 1 point. Pima’s size finally took over in the fourth and they went on to defeat the Lady Birds, 49-37. Holbrook was led by Raelle Yazzie’s 14 points. Casamero added 11, and Aberle finished with 10. Their final pool game was a 53-45 loss to a smaller but quick Fort Thomas team. Holbrook led by one after the first, but a big second quarter from the Apaches left Holbrook trailing by 10 at the break. The Ladies outscored Fort Thomas in the second half but came up short overall. Aberle led Holbrook with 21 points. Raelle Yazzie added 12. Holbrook’s first bracket game was a two-point loss to St. Michael. The Roadrunners scored the first 6 points of the game and led by 1 at the end of the first. The game was tied at the half, but the Cardinals outscored Holbrook by 2 in the second half to win the game 44-42. Aberle led Holbrook with 12 points. Francisco added 10, and Raelle Yazzie helped with 9. With the loss, Holbrook moved left in the bracket and met up with a physical playing Morenci team. The Wildcats built a three-point lead in the first and led 26-17 at the half. They extended that lead to 38-25 going into the fourth. Holbrook finally came to life in the final eight minutes, outscoring Morenci 24-6 for a 1-point win. Holly Casamero drained a high arching 12-foot shot with two seconds left on the clock for Holbrook’s first win of the season, 47-46. Aberle led Holbrook with 16 points. Casamero added 11, including the game-winner. Holbrook’s third game of the day was a 54-24 win over an overmatched Cibecue team. Holbrook jumped out to a big early lead and then cruised in the final three periods. The Birds were led by Raelle Yazzie’s 19-point effort. Angelica Uranga added 7. That win advanced Holbrook to the consolation championship game where they faced Fort Thomas on Saturday at noon. Holbrook led 19 to 17 at the half, but the Apaches scorched the nets from 3-point land in the third, making six treys in the eight minutes to lead by 8. They went on to win the game, 53-41. Holly Casamero led Holbrook with 16 points including five 3-point shots. Aberle added 10. Holbrook enters this week with an overall record of just 2-7. They have dug themselves an early season hole much like last year and now need to scramble to find wins in January and February just to make the state tournament. After hosting a good Tuba City team on Monday night, they will travel to play a great Page team on Saturday. The Ladies will then have a few days off to reset and reflect before playing four tough games in the Epic Tourney Chandler Prep tournament from Dec. 28-30. They return to regular season play when they host Valley Christian on Jan. 6.
