<\/p>\n
For the Dolores Lady Bears, Mancos Lady Blue Jays and Mancos Blue Jays \u2013 it\u2019s do or die time.<\/p>\n
Three of the four teams from last week\u2019s Class 2A District 3 tournament advanced to the regional tournament, but there is no consolation bracket in this week\u2019s Class 2A Region 1 tournament.<\/p>\n
So winning teams advance, and losing teams go home.<\/p>\n
Dolores Lady Bears<\/p>\n
The Lady Bears (12-8) begin the action on Friday at noon at Monte Vista High School against the Sargent Farmers (14-8).<\/p>\n
The two teams played early in the season \u2013 in just their second game \u2013 with the Farmers pulling out a 46-36 win in the Thunderbird Shootout.<\/p>\n
Both teams have changed since their December 4 meeting, but the introduction gave Dolores head coach Larry Schwartz information to game plan.<\/p>\n
Offensively, Schwartz said his team needs to limit its turnovers. The Lady Bears had 34 turnovers against Ignacio in the district championship game on Saturday, but the Farmers\u2019 defensive pressure is nothing like that of the Bobcats\u2019, so Schwartz believes his team will be able to handle it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we take good care of the ball and we rebound and our presses are doing the job, then we should be in good shape by the end of the game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Defensively, the Lady Bears will focus on junior point guard Quincy Lester. Schwartz said that she\u2019ll get her points, but that the Lady Bears will look to control her and shut down the supporting cast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe girl to worry about is number five, Quincy Lester,\u201d he explained. \u201cShe\u2019s really feisty, physical and tough to stop. She likes to penetrate to around 15 feet for a jump shot. And the rest of the starting five are pretty good ball handlers and they post up pretty well, so we\u2019ll have our hands full.\u201d<\/p>\n
Per usual, the Lady Bears will also employ their \u201cthunder\u201d and \u201clightning\u201d full-court presses to try and force the tempo and pressure Sargent into turnovers. Schwartz said that the Bears\u2019 pressure didn\u2019t work very well against Sargent in their first meeting, but that his team is much better at their full-court presses now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll throw our full-court presses at them and we\u2019ll throw our half-court presses at them,\u201d he said. \u201cLike we told the girls last night, we\u2019re going to throw everything we\u2019ve got at them and hope for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Lady Bears and Farmers tip-off at noon on Friday, with the winner advancing to play either Ignacio or Custer County on Saturday at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we win we\u2019ll stay Friday night, if we end up getting defeated we\u2019ll come back home,\u201d said Schwartz. \u201cSo hopefully we\u2019ll be staying through the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mancos Lady Blue Jays<\/p>\n
The Mancos Lady Blue Jays (10-10) also play at Monte Vista High School on Friday, taking on the Sanford Indians (14-8) at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
The two teams have not seen each other yet this season, but they do have a common opponent in the Center Vikings.<\/p>\n
The Lady Jays fell to Center, 41-33, early in January, while the Indians have beaten the Vikings twice this season.<\/p>\n
However, it\u2019s difficult to measure two teams based on one common opponent.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do have to look at it, because we\u2019ve never seen them play,\u201d said head coach Mallory Morgan. \u201cYou have to compare it somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Morgan also noted that it was early in the season when the Lady Jays played Center, and they have improved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we went to Center, we did not play well at all, for one,\u201d she said. \u201cWe should have beaten that team.\u201d<\/p>\n
So by just looking at scores from games against their common opponent, Morgan believes her squad will match up well against the Indians.<\/p>\n
And to prepare, she is focused on getting her team to do what they do best.<\/p>\n
\u201cRun the offense and slow things down,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Lady Jays and Lady Indians play at 4 p.m. on Friday, with the winner advancing to play either Del Norte or, coincidentally, Center.<\/p>\n
And Morgan likes her team\u2019s chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re ready for anything,\u201d she said. \u201cWe just have to do what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mancos Blue Jays<\/p>\n
The Mancos Blue Jays (9-12) also start regional play on Friday, just up the road at Adams State University in Alamosa, against the Ignacio Bobcats (19-2) at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n
It will be the third meeting between the two squads, with the Bobcats winning the previous two contests, 78-42 and 70-44.<\/p>\n
The teams are familiar with each other, but that doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019ll be making any drastic changes prior to their third matchup.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re doing a few things different, but not a whole lot,\u201d said Mancos head coach Rodney Cox. \u201cWe\u2019re still working on taking care of the basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Jays turned the ball over 16 times in their first game against Ignacio and 20 in the second, but even more concerning is the Bobcats\u2019 ability to knock down shots from outside.<\/p>\n
Ignacio is shooting 50-percent from three against the Jays after going 11-of-22 in their first meeting and 13-of-26 in the second.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s something that Cox and the Jays are working on stopping, or at least limiting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to let them shoot 14 threes on us,\u201d Cox said before correcting himself. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to let them make 14 threes. They might shoot 14, but they\u2019re not going to make them. We\u2019re going to really defend the 3-point-line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cox also mentioned fouls as a key in the matchup. And while the Bobcats certainly have a deeper bench, the Jays may be able to take advantage inside.<\/p>\n
At 6-foot-5, Ignacio senior Nicholas Herrera is a load to handle down low. But if Mancos seniors Andrew Plunkett and Ro Paschal can get him into foul trouble \u2013 and stay out of it themselves \u2013 the Jays should be able to get good looks in the paint.<\/p>\n
Mancos is 0-2 against Ignacio this year, but they\u2019re hoping the third time is the charm. The two will tip-off on Friday at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to play either Center or Sargent on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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