First-year Peñasco High School girls basketball coach Many Montoya — formerly an assistant for the Lady Eagles of Northern New Mexico College — hasn’t had any trouble getting her players to buy in to her coaching tactics, she’s just had to keep reminding them of who they are.
Peñasco’s nickname is the Lady Panthers, and Montoya wants her team to attack the way a Panther should, putting a big emphasis on executing late in games and pinning an opponent while they have them on the ropes.
An opportunity for that recipe was missed in the Lady Panthers’ opening game of the 28th annual girls Ben Luján Tournament at Pojoaque Valley High School, as Peñasco let a 7-point fourth quarter lead slip away in its 50-49 loss to Class 4A Bernalillo High School.
Still, it was a valuable learning experience for a team who figures to once again compete near the top of Class 2A after reaching the finals in 2018 and the semifinals in 2019.
“We need to have that predator mentality,” Montoya said. “We have to do a better job down the stretch and in general, these guys think that they’re just going to win based off talent and their history, but teams have gotten better. I told these guys right away when I started, ‘Do you know what a Panther is? It’s a predator, so we have to play with that instinct all the time and be the predator.”
The Lady Panthers showed a positive flash of that predator instinct in their 49-30 consolation championship win on Dec. 21 over Crownpoint High School, as their defense stepped up to the table in the fourth quarter to limit the Lady Eagles to just four points over the final eight minutes.
Prior, Crownpoint hung tough with Peñasco for a majority of the game after falling behind 8-0 early in the first quarter, and they trailed by just nine points at halftime and again by nine entering the fourth quarter.
Peñasco senior captain Carly Gonzales, a two-time New Mexico High School Coaches Association First-Team All-Stater, credited her team’s defense in the fourth quarter to the reason for outscoring Crownpoint 14-4.
She was quick to point out hercoach’s consistent reminders to stay sharp on the fundamentals of the game.
“We’re loaded with seniors and we have been playing a long time, but our goal is to just work on the basics,” Gonzales said. “That’s what coach says, and we need to trust that process for things to come naturally.”
Success has seemed to come naturally for Gonzales and her fellow seniors over the past couple of seasons. The class also includes Ariana MacAuley, Jennifer Aguilar, Adrianna Tafoya, Leandra Romero, Alexandra Sandoval and Angelina Archuleta.
“I think because our seniors and our captains bought in, it made it comfortable for the younger girls,” Gonzales said. “We all trust our coach and are willing to break down a wall for her; I think that’s what is guiding our team and our success so far.”
Peñasco’s 2-1 stint at the Ben Lujan improved the team’s record to 8-1 overall and included a 74-31 win over McCurdy Charter School on day two.
As for Gonzales, she continues to put up all-state-type numbers. She recorded a tournament-high 33 points while snagging eight rebounds and recording six assists and four steals against McCurdy.
She averaged 22.6 points per game over the three contests, earning her the Ben Luján Tournament High-Point award.
Coach Montoya said the tournament was a positive step in the right direction considering Peñasco’s play against a solid club from Class 4A in Bernalillo.
“Overall in the tournament, we had a tough matchup to play right away but you can’t worry about the cards you’re dealt,” she said. “I told the guys we have to use this as a learning experience and the fact that it is a 1-point loss is huge; it’s all in the details and hopefully that refocuses us.”