The Durango High School girls basketball team hosted Grand Junction Central in a key 4A/5A Southwestern League game on Friday in front of a big crowd. The two teams where even after one quarter, 11-11, with Sydney Flores scoring five points to lead the Demons.
Central, however, used some pesky defense on its full-court press and double teams and eventually pulled away to win 45-38.
Central won the second quarter, 12-10, to take a small 23-21 lead into halftime, thanks to three 3-pointers from Alex Wagner. Mason Rowland also sunk a three and scored three the old-fashioned way while Riley Campbell and Addie Nieman added buckets to keep Durango close.
The third quarter proved pivotal as Central extended its lead to 37-29 heading into the fourth. Krystyna Manzanarez scored eight of her team-high 15 points in the frame, and Rowland scored six of Durango’s eight points.
Rowland then scored three the old-fashioned way again to start the fourth and cut Central’s lead to 37-32. Central responded with six straight points. The Demons got four late points from Carter Neiman and another basket from Rowland. The Demons won the quarter 9-8 but were unable to catch the Warriors.
Rowland led Durango with 20 points, scoring at least three in every quarter. Flores scored five, Nieman added four, and Addie Neiman, Riley Campbell, Ellie White and Katelyn Sheppard also contributed points.
Central stayed in second place in the league with the win, improving to 18-3 overall and 5-1 in the SWL.
Durango moved to 13-6, 3-3 SWL and remains third in the league. Tomorrow, the Demons will host league-leading Fruita Monument (17-3, 5-0) at 10:30 a.m.
