Monticello girls basketball team hosts San Juan in early-season rivalry matchup Nov. 30

With their seasons just underway, the San Juan and Monticello girls basketball teams squared off for the first of two meetings this past Tuesday, November 30 in the MHS gymnasium with both teams looking for their first win.

The Lady Buckaroos were 0-2 coming off a tough 1A Preview trip to Richfield November 19-20 and the Lady Broncos were 0-1 with a loss at Grand in their season opener November 23.

From the start, San Juan took control and never relinquished it. They jumped out to a 20-11 lead after one quarter, added 20 more in the second to lead 40-18 at the half, and outscored the Lady Bucks 41 to 15 in the second half to close out an 81-33 win.

San Juan’s long-range shooting was instrumental in the result. They drained six three-point baskets on the night. Monticello struggled in the turnover department throughout the game, allowing 45 points off turnovers while scoring only four.

San Juan outshot the Lady Bucks from the floor 40 percent to 32. They were also 70 percent from the free-throw line while Monticello shot just 23 percent.

Lady Broncos Serina Yanito and Halli Palmer both led all scorers with 20 points apiece in the win and Kaeah Howard scored 15.

Adriana Johnson got nine, Khadija Lee collected six, Shaylin Nez got five, Khalil Eyetoo scored four, and Mykayi Fowler rounded out the San Juan scoring with two points.

Lee led the way on the boards for San Juan with nine. Howard grabbed seven, Nez got six, and Palmer and Johnson pulled down five apiece. Palmer drained three triples in the win while Nez, Howard, and Yanito added one apiece.

For Monticello, Kenlee Atwood led the way with nine points. Rosy Beh followed her with seven. Kylie Rogers dropped in four; Kamee Freestone scored three; and Jemma Robison, Taylor Thomason, Ciara McCarthy, and Jesse Gomez all added two apiece.

Laura Stearns, beginning her fourth year as head coach of the Lady Broncos, describes her team as entirely new but says she’s excited about what she’s seen so far and to see how far the players can go this year and next.

“I really like the chemistry they have on the court,” she explained. “One of our main goals this year is to improve as a team. We have a lot to learn since none of them had any varsity experience until this year.”

Very similarly, the Lady Buckaroos are starting fresh with a young group of girls who largely lack varsity experience.

Second-year head coach Marcia Shumway said following their tough season-opening loss to Piute at the Preview, “the girls worked as a team, let their fears go away, and had fun, and that made all the difference in the world.”

Shumway says all her players are working hard in practice, have made many improvements, and though it’s going to take some time, they’ll continue to advance day in and day out.

She says the girls have the skills they need to play well, but they just need to employ more aggressiveness, rebound stronger, and develop their confidence.

In the days since the two rivals met in Monticello, the San Juan girls battled hard but suffered four losses at the Shannon Johnson Classic in Vernal, UT this past weekend. Monticello lost at Tabiona Friday, December 3.

So, coming into this week the Lady Broncos were 1-5 and the Lady Bucks were 0-4. Both teams were in action on Tuesday, December 7 – San Juan at home against Grand County and Monticello on the road at Dove Creek. They’re both off for the remainder of the week.