Mesa Vista senior guard Tana Lopez is not tall in stature at 5-foot, 3-inches tall.
But she’s got plenty of stature when it comes to filling up the bucket.
With a basket just before halftime last Friday in the District 5-2A tournament championship game against McCurdy, Lopez hit the 2,000-point mark, a first for the Lady Trojans program.
“She’s always been a special player,” Mesa Vista coach Jesse Boies said of the four-year starter who recently had a recruiting visit to New Mexico Highlands. “She could go 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, then she’ll light you up for the rest of the game.”
Having a player like Lopez is a luxury any coach would enjoy, he said.
“She has earned her stripes,” Boies said. “She’s doing some amazing things. She’s doing a lot of good stuff. Not just scoring or rebounding, but she’s tied for the steals lead on the team and second in assists.”
And oh yes, Lopez can score and in any fashion needed.
“She’s shifty with the ball,” Boies said. “If she’s going strong, she’ll penetrate. If you give her a 3, she has a 90% chance of it going in. Give her a layup, easy or hard and she’ll make it. She knows how to work the paint, she can create, but she can spot up, as well.”
No. 3-seeded Mesa Vista is looking for a big state tournament from their standout guard.
“She’s going to carry us to the blue, hopefully,” Boies said. “She has that drive where right now nothing is going stop her.”