Lady Devils break losing streak with wins over Dove Creek, Wasatch Academy
by Jeff Richards
Contributing Writer
Feb 06, 2014 | 1239 views | 0 0 comments | 18 18 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The Grand County High School girls basketball team won twice last week, snapping a three-game losing streak.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Moab, the Lady Devils defeated Dove Creek, Colo., by the score of 45-41, thereby avenging their 40-38 loss to the Lady Bulldogs on Dec. 19 at Dove Creek.

“Few people know this, but Dove Creek was 11-1 coming into the game here on Tuesday, and were ranked No. 1 in their classification in Colorado,” said GCHS head coach Tony Chacon. “They are a very tough team.”

The game was a see-saw battle the entire way, with neither team getting ahead by more than four or five points, Chacon said. Senior Shailee Croasmun hit three 3-pointers during the fourth quarter to put the Lady Devils ahead for good, and Grand managed to hold the Bulldogs scoreless for the final three minutes of the contest. Croasmun finished with 16 points, while Sadie Hansen added eight and Alena Geiser had seven points for the Lady Devils. Hansen and Croasmun also grabbed seven rebounds apiece.

The game also marked the return of senior center Alexandra Gomez, who had missed several games due to an injured leg. Gomez started the game and contributed two points and four rebounds.

Two days after the home victory over Dove Creek, the Lady Devils traveled to Mount Pleasant to face the Wasatch Academy Lady Tigers, whom they’d beaten at Moab by the score of 54-40 on Jan. 9.

“We felt like there was a lot of pressure on us to win that game on the road,” Chacon said. “We hadn’t really played that well a couple days earlier, but against Wasatch Academy we came out with the most intense defense I’ve seen us play all year long.”

Grand jumped out to a 15-0 lead at the end of the first period and eventually led 23-0 midway through the second quarter before the Tigers finally scored. That 20-plus margin held up for the remainder of the contest, as the Lady Devils ultimately won, 58-36.

“We did a great job on defense, and Symony Call was amazing with 14 rebounds,” Chacon said. “We were limiting them to just one shot each possession, and we managed to hold their leading scorer [Keyani Rivera] to just 13 points.”

Grand was again led by Shailee Croasmun, who scored 23 points, including four 3-pointers. Her younger sister Talaunee Croasmun added 20 points, Geiser had seven, and Call scored six.

“It was a huge game for us, and we really needed it,” Chacon said. “Winning on the road is crucial this time of year, because it gives us confidence.”

Grand, now 11-5 overall and 3-3 in Region 15, has one region game scheduled at home this week: against San Juan at Moab on Tuesday, Jan. 4. The Lady Devils will also travel to play a non-region contest at Altamont at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6.
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