D-III girls hoops: W. Rock, E Foothills, Ftn Hills, VC win

February 26, 2014 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


NO. 4 Window Rock never opened a large lead, but always kept a small one Wednesday morning in defeating No. 5 Thatcher, 52-45, in a Division III girls basketball quarterfinal at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.

Window Rock was led by senior guard Naomi Klah with 16 points, right at her season's average. Teammate Nichole Benally added 10 points. Five other players scored between four and eight points. Thatcher was led by Kristie Baldwin with 15 points.

Window Rock led 14-10 after one period, 28-26 at haltime and 41-36 after three quarters. Thatcher got within four  on several occasions in the fourth period, but offensive rebounds and free throws kept Window Rock in the driver's seat.

Window Rock advanced to the semifinals on Friday (Feb. 28) against Valley Christian at 6:15 p.m. at Jobing.com Arena.

ESTRELLA FOOTHILLS 44, PUSCH RIDGE 34: No. 6 Estrella Foothils outscored No. 3 Pusch Ridge 11-0 over the final 4:45 of the game to advance to the semifinals. Pusch Ridge led 30-27 heading to the fourth quarter, but made only 2 of 11 shots from the field in the final stanza.

Tristyn Dunivant's put back with 4:18 to play put EFH ahead to stay 35-34. Chantel Gregorio added four points, Cheyenne Nabity three and  Esence Smith two to complete the run. Estrella Foothills faces the Fountain Hills-Winslow winner on Friday (Feb. 28) at 2:45 p.m. at Jobing.com Arena.

Nabity led EFH (24-5) with 14 points and Gregorio had 9. Gregorio tallied six in the fourth period. Junior guard Moriah Roters paced Pusch Ridge (25-6) with 15 points.

FOUNTAIN HILLS 53, WINSLOW 51: No. 7 Fountain HIlls opened the fourthy period with a 7-2 run, enough to give it room to post a victory over No. 2 Winslow. Winslow hit a long 3 at the buzzer to make the final closer than the final seconds indicated.

Brooke Yost poured in 17 points and Natalie Stilwell  added 15 as Fountain HIlls reaaches the semifinals on Friday at 2:45 p.m. vs. Estrella Foothills at Jobing.com Arena. Yost had 10 of her 17 in the second half and Stilwell 11 of her 15 in the first half.

VALLEY CHRISTIAN 52, PAGE 38:  Bethany Wolph scored 15 points and hit 3 of VC's six 3s as the top-seeded and unbeaten Lady Trojans (32-0) knocked off Page.

Mara Kemmer and Ashley Koch added nine points each for VC, which jumped out to a 15-5 lead in the first quarter and was never in danger of an upset.

Page was led by Natasha Henry with nine points.