On Dec. 10, the Winslow Bulldogs traveled to Tuba City to take on the Warriors, in a game that would come down to the final nine seconds to decide the winner. The Warriors would enjoy the lead through much of the game, but the Bulldogs would not give up and would tie the game in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter, and actually take the lead but the Warriors would hit a 3-point shot with nine seconds remaining to beat the Bulldogs by 1 point.
In the first quarter the Warriors would out score the Bulldogs 17 to 11. Then in the second quarter, the Warriors outshot the Bulldogs 17 to 14, making the halftime score Tuba City 34, Winslow 25.
In the third quarter both teams would trade baskets with each scoring 20 points. In the fourth quarter the Bulldogs would outshoot the Warriors 22 to 14, for a final score of Tuba City 68, Winslow 67.
Winslow had three players in double figures led by Isaac David with 14 points, Izaak Panana with 12 points and Jayden Curtis with 10 points. Winslow was five of 10 from the line.
The Bulldogs also competed against eight other teams in the Flagstaff Pepsi Holiday Tournament. In the three-day tournament on Dec 11, in the Bulldogs first game they took on the Phantoms of Grand Canyon a 1A team, where they would overpower the Phantoms winning 89-23.
Winslow would have two players in double figures led by Panana with 16 points and David with 14 points, additionally every Bulldog that played scored.
In the second day the Bulldogs then faced the Bulldogs of Safford in their first game of the day where the Winslow Bulldogs would show who was Top Dog winning 70-38. This game would award Winslow Bulldog David with a player milestone when he hit his 1,000th career point early in the first quarter.
Winslow would face the Spartans of Northland Prep a 2A Flagstaff team in the second game of the day. The Bulldogs would come up with the victory, but Spartan Jaden Joiner would make the Bulldogs work for it by hitting some crazy long 3-point shots, scoring over 12 points alone until Bulldog Daylen Nez was able to shut him down in the final minutes. Winslow would get a 56 to 53 win.
Winslow had one player in double figures I. David with 20 points.
On the final day of the tournament and in the championship bracket the Bulldogs faced the Lobos of Snowflake and the always big and physical Lobos would give the Bulldogs their only loss of the tournament 65-51.
Winslow had three players in double figures led by I. David with 12 points, Ian Benally with 11 points and Joseph Lee with 10 points.
In the final game of the tournament, the Bulldogs would face the Wildcats of Chinle in their second meeting of the season and for the third-place finish. This time the Bulldogs would not let this one slip away, leading from start to finish with the final score of Winslow 56, Chinle 42.
Winslow had two players in double figures Panana with 15 points and David with 13 points. Winslow’s David was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
This week the Winslow Bulldogs traveled to Lakeside to take on the Yellowjackets of Blue Ridge on Dec. 16, then they head to Snowflake to take on the Lobos at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19. The Bulldogs will then host the Roadrunners of Holbrook at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, for the I-40 rivalry.
