Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Jaime Johnson, left, and Adalia Lorenzo led Fort Thomas over Patagoinia 51-30 on Tuesday night. Johnson finished with a game-high 14 points and Lorenzo hit three 3-pointers on her way to a 12-point night.
The Fort holds Lobos scoreless in the second quarter
By Jon Johnson
FORT THOMAS – The Fort Thomas Apaches girls basketball team opened their quest for a 1A State Championship on Tuesday with an opening round home court victory over the Patagonia Union Lobos, 51-30.
The Lee Haws-coached Apaches started slowly, however, and midway through the first quarter, the score was tied with the Lobos threatening to take the lead. But Kynnedee Bryce snagged the steal and got it to Kaylee Benally who casually dropped a half-court pass to Makayla Chapman for the score.
Then late in the first freshman Jamie Johnson came off the bench and immediately sparked the offense with her defense as she took a steal the distance to start a personal 7-0 run.
Johnson found a spot and nailed the long ball before scoring on multiple fast breaks, including an and-1 play in the second quarter.
In the second it was all about the defense for the Apaches as they held the Lobos scoreless for the period. Hounding, relentless pressure led to turnovers and fast-break opportunities for the Apaches with Johnson running the court and her teammates finding her with deep passes. At the end of the carnage, The Fort had an insurmountable 34-8 lead at the half.
In the half-court game, Adaia Lorenzo was deadly from deep, spotting up three times; one in each of the first three quarters.
Johnson led the Fort with 14 points, followed by Lorenzo with 12; Raeleigh Hawkins finished with 7 points, then it was a cadre of players with Corey Cody, Kayrie Kindelay, and Kaylee Benally all finishing with 4 points each, and Makayla Chapman, Tawnee Jones, and Kynnedee Bryce all finishing with 2 points each.
The Lobos were led by Emma Lewton with 11 points, followed by Brianna Majalica with 6 points, Jenny Vasquez with 5 points, and Janelle Valenzuela, and Ximeia Gonzales with 4 points each.
The Fort will next host the No. 6 Mogollon Mustangs in Round 2 on Friday, Feb. 9, with the winner facing either No. 10 Valley Union or No. 2 Joseph City in the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley in the semis.
