TEDNA

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It wasn’t easy, but the Page girls basketball team collected its fourth state title, the second under head coach Justin Smith on Saturday night.

The Sand Devils chipped away a 10-point deficit in the second half and rode out that momentum to score a hard-fought 56-42 victory over league rival Tuba City at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

The Sand Devils put their depth on display with sophomore guard Natasha Henry scoring the first five points of the half before junior Ashley Dempsey and senior Amber Sloan combined for eight points as Page trailed 36-34 after three quarters.

In the fourth, Page got a big boost from Dempsey as she two treys with her second one spearheading a game-ending 13-2 run.

“I was really nervous but once we started to go on that run I knew that it was ours to win, “ Smith said. “Everyone did what they were supposed to do. We got some big shots from different girls and I thought Ashley Dempsey’s three-point shot was huge.”

Sloan led Page with 23 points, including 12 in the second half.

“I just tried to help my team out,” said Sloan about her production, which included a 16-of-18 effort at the charity line.

“It feels amazing and there is no words to describe it,” she said of closing out her year on a high note. “It’s a relief that we won but it’s nice to know that our hard work paid off.”

For Tuba City, senior Tate Tsingine finished the game with a double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 boards.

For a more in-depth story pick up a copy of Thursday’s Navajo Times.