Who’d have thought that after a 1-6 start the Ignacio High School girls basketball team would be playing for a San Juan Basin League District Tournament championship?
The Bobcats advanced with a 46-38 win over Nucla on Friday in Cortez.
IHS (8-12) held a slim 24-22 lead at halftime before extending it by outscoring the Mustangs 12-8 in the third quarter.
“The difference for us was our team leadership really came out and played real well,” IHS head coach Shane Seibel said. “Both ends of the floor that made the difference.”
Cloe Seibel led IHS in scoring with 15 points in just her second game back from injury.
Gabriela Garcia and Ellie Seibel both joined her in double figures with 11.
The Bobcats will face top-seeded Ridgway at 1 p.m. Saturday at Montezuma-Cortez High School in the SJBL title game.
Ridgway (15-5) defeated Mancos 56-41 in the first semifinal.
IHS lost 43-38 at Ridgway on Jan. 25.
The Bobcats, who have won five out of their last six games, clinched a regional berth with the victory.
“It’s been an amazing turnaround for the girls,” coach Seibel said. “They just never gave up on themselves and their teammmates.”
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