Who needs a home-court advantage? Certainly not the Durango Demons’ girls basketball team.
For the 14th time in the team’s first 16 games, the Demon travelers went into a road gym Saturday. For the 10th time, Durango walked out a winner, as the Demons beat Grand Junction Central 37-25.
Juniors Taylor Edwards and Stephanie Basye did damage down low and both scored in double figures in the team’s sixth win in the last eight games. Edwards led the Demons with 12 points and six rebounds while Basye scored 10.
They are now 10-4 away from home and will host the final two league games on the schedule as Fruita Monument, Montezuma-Cortez and Montrose will be rare visitors to DHS in the next week.
“It was a much more consistent effort (Saturday),” head coach Tim Fitzpatrick said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “The girls are getting used to all this traveling, and they gave another solid effort.”
The Demons were held to one point in Friday’s first quarter and five in the first half, but Saturday’s start was much better. Durango turned up the defense early and allowed just three first-quarter points. On offense, they exploited mismatches down low with Basye and Edwards which led to a 22-11 halftime advantage.
Unlike their opponents from the night before, Durango took care of its lead in the second half and pulled away to go a perfect 4-0 against the Grand Junction schools this season. In the process, the young Demons proved once again they can win wherever the schedule takes them.
“The travel is tough, but that’s the way it is,” Fitzpatrick said. “Being on the road as much as we have has built character and chemistry. It’s also taught us how to perform at a winning level when fatigue is a factor. That will help us down the road.”
Katrina Chandler had nine points for Durango. Shilo Gillen added four and Jessica Lee had two in Saturday’s win.
Durango will be back on its home court at 5 p.m. Tuesday for a game with Montezuma-Cortez and two big games later in the week against Fruita and Montrose will have league title implications.
jfries@durangoherald.com
