THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Grand Junction High School Athletics

Of all players on the floor, one would think that the player least likely to sneak away from the defense in a crucial moment would be the lengthy post player. However, that is exactly what San Juan, Utah, allowed to happen. Grand Junction junior Faith Buckley found herself open on the right side near the baseline, sinking a medium-range jump shot with only seven seconds left to lift the Tigers to a 37-35 victory at the Family Health West Wildcat Classic on Thursday. After an 0-3 start to the season, Grand Junction (2-3) is now riding a winning streak. "I think they just thought, 'Oh, she's just a post, she's not going to try to shoot from anywhere outside the paint,' " Buckley said. "I just popped out and looked for the shot. I took my time and it went in." One of the reasons Buckley was able to spring open was the pressure being applied by the Broncos' defense. With the game tied at 35-35 and the clock ticking under 20 seconds, three San Juan defenders harassed the Tigers in front of the half-court line. However, Grand Junction found its way around the pressure and, ultimately, its opponent. The quarter leading up to Buckley's triumphant shot was a back-and-forth affair. The Tigers trailed 28-26 to start the quarter but went ahead 33-30 with fewer than four minutes left thanks to baskets by Brooke Laffler, Dolcie Hanlon and Kenzie Younker. With the game tied at 33-33, the lead once again went to Grand Junction on a pair of free throws by Younker with 56 seconds left. San Juan (2-3) responded, as Madi Palmer also drained a pair at the charity stripe, setting the stage for Buckley's winner. "That was a hectic game," said Grand Junction coach Sam Provenza. "I told the kids at halftime (when the Tigers led 21-19), 'Sometimes, it feels like we're playing against ourselves and the other team.' I thought we settled down a little bit after that." Though Buckley made the game-winner, Younker was Grand Junction's primary offensive catalyst on the night. The senior forward/guard led all players with 16 points and accounted for 10 of the Tigers' 16 second-half points. However, it was the defense that led the way for the Tigers once again. After allowing 46 points per game in its opening three defeats, Grand Junction has held its past two opponents to a combined 69 points. "We're starting to see some cohesiveness," Provenza said. "They're trusting each other. It takes a while for kids to trust each other and work as a group, and I think that's starting to happen right now." The Tigers will face Carbon, Utah, today at 3 p.m. in their second game of the tournament. Carbon, Utah 39, Central 31 When Leah Redding's 3-point shot bounced in off of the backboard to end the first half, Central went into the locker room with a 19-15 lead and a sense of confidence it would hand the Dinos their first loss.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Grand Junction High School Athletics

GOTTA HAVE FAITH

NATHAN DEAL

The Daily Sentinel | 12/6/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Tomlinson