DANVILLE, Calif. – Monte Vista never trailed against Granada in a Saturday afternoon league game, though to say a 51-34 victory was easy would be misleading. Indeed, Granada held its own for the entirety of the first half, even if all the Matadors had to show for it was a brief tie in the second quarter. And they’d tie it twice more, the latter with 4:54 to go in the third. That, however, was the end of it as Monte Vista had a 6-0 mini-burst and closed the game on an 11-0 run to deal Granada its first loss on the season.
It was no surprise that the threesome of Alexis Woodson, Nia Coleman, and Sarah Brans led the way for Monte Vista (11-3, 3-0 EBAL). Brans had 16 points and swatted away 10 shots, Woodson had 12 points and 14 boards, and Coleman tallied eight points to go with four rebounds, five steals, and three assists. Sarina Nagra was also effective, although her stat line didn’t stand out. She finished with six points and five rebounds and hassled the opponents on the defensive end.
“They’re very scrappy, they’re well-coached, they’re well-disciplined,” Monte Vista coach Jack Kennedy said of Granada. “We went to that zone and that sort of changed the complexion of the tempo. We didn’t get caught with them coming down the lane on us. We just started to pull away.”
Madison Braswell starred for Granada (9-1, 1-1 EBAL) with nine points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Jasmine Branda was the only Matador in double figures, with 11 points, and tacked on seven boards.
Monte Vista led 14-12 after one, and both teams struggled in the second quarter managing just 13 between them. By halftime, with the Mustangs on top 21-18, a pattern had settled in: Monte Vista would take a small lead of up to six or seven points, Granada would climb back to within one or two, then Monte Vista would answer with a bucket. But after Coleman dazzled with a shake-and-bake move in the lane and bank shot that put the Mustangs up 31-25, Monte Vista established a healthy lead that would shrink no more.
The two teams were making up a game originally scheduled for earlier in the month.
“It’s tough, because you get mentally-prepared to play, then the game gets cancelled,” Kennedy remarked. “You like to get in the format of practice-practice-play-practice-play. You get a little rusty. When you don’t do it under the pressure of a game, you lose it. You’re not as agile on the defense or your shot doesn’t fall.”
Monte Vista has fared well despite the challenge. On Friday night, the Mustangs dominated California 66-35 which had followed a 76-39 wallop of Amador Valley. Granada eked out a 44-41 win at Dublin on Wednesday. Monte Vista and Granada did not play in last year’s pandemic-shortened campaign.
