After opening its season with three wins at the Cedaredge-Delta Tournament, the Montezuma-Cortez High School boys basketball team traveled to Page, Ariz., and faced tougher competition.
Opening the six-team Page Tournament against Page on Dec. 11, the Panthers turned the ball over multiple times in route to a 54-39 loss.
“We came out really strong, but they pressed us, and our kids struggled with that type of fast-paced basketball,” said M-CHS head coach Mike Hall. “We had a lot of turnovers.”
Next facing off against Pine View on Dec. 12, the Panthers trailed by two points at halftime, but lost 63-46.
“The first half was great,” said Hall. “The second half, we had some real bad turnovers and some mental mistakes.”
Playing their final game of the tournament against Monument Valley, M-CHS won 55-52. Hall said that M-CHS’s ability to limit its turnovers was key in the victory.
“We corrected our turnover problem,” said Hall. At the start of the weekend, we were real slow, but by the end of the tournament, I was pleased with how we played.”
Leading the Panthers in scoring in all three games of the tournament was senior Taylor Wilson, who was named to the all-tournament team.
“(Wilson) was a leader,” said Hall. “He goes out there, and he knows how to compete. He knows how to push the tempo, and he knows when to slow the game down.”
With their record now at 4-2 on the season, the Panthers will next play against Monticello High School in Cortez on Dec. 16.
“I know Monticello is a very good basketball school,” said Hall. They have been very tough the last few years.”
Hall went on to add that defending the home court is one of his team’s goals.
“I told the boys that there has been a lot of history made (at Ron Wright Memorial Gym), and I don’t want to see that go down the drain this year,” Hall said.