The Grand County High School (GCHS) boys basketball team overmatched the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers in the Devils’ Den on Thursday, Dec. 12, winning the non-region game 86-78.
Collectively, the GCHS boys had 46 rebounds and 14 steals against the Panthers, helping them secure the victory. Seniors Eli Hazlett, Kaine Allred and Milo Birdwell all scored in the double digits for the Red Devils. Hazlett had 27 points and 11 rebounds, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line; Allred had 26 points and 13 rebounds, and Birdwell had 11 points and five assists. Fellow senior Luke Williams led GCHS with six steals, while also pitching in seven points and five assists.
“We played the best I’ve seen all year,” GCHS boys basketball coach Scott Horton said. “We still have a problem from the free-throw line, but we can fix that. Our defense was good and we attacked the rim well.”
The Red Devils shot 16-of-36 total from the free-throw line.
Meanwhile, the GCHS girls fell to 0-4 after a 51-26 loss to Green River on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and a 49-24 loss to Monticello on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
The GCHS girls shot poorly from the field and the free-throw line against Green River, shooting a 27% clip on field goals and making just two of 11 free throws in the 51-26 loss. The young Lady Red Devils also turned the ball over 29 times in the loss. Megan Zunich had eight points, nine rebounds and three steals to lead GCHS, while Josalyn Murphy added six assists and five steals.
The next night against Monticello, the ladies had fewer turnovers but a nearly identical final outcome with a 49-24 loss. GCHS shot just 17% from the field, making eight shots in 42 attempts. Zunich was again the leading scorer, tallying 13 points against the Buckaroos while also grabbing nine rebounds.
Both GCHS basketball teams were scheduled additional action both before and during the holiday break. The boys were scheduled to play Green River on Wednesday, Dec. 18, then travel to Cedar City for the Steve Hodson Cancer Classic from Thursday, Dec. 26 to Saturday, Dec. 28. The boys next play at home on Jan. 8, 2020, versus Grand Junction.
The Lady Red Devils are scheduled to play at Green River on Thursday, Dec. 19; at West Ridge Academy on Friday, Dec. 20; and at the American Leadership Academy on Saturday, Dec. 21 – the first three games of a seven-game holiday road trip. During the break, GCHS plays at North Sevier on Friday, Dec. 27, and at Gunnison on Saturday, Dec. 28. Upon return to class, GCHS will have its first two region games on the road, versus Richfield on Jan. 10, 2020, and versus South Sevier on Jan. 11, 2020. The Lady Red Devils next grace the home floor on Jan. 14, 2020, versus Emery.
