Window Rock Girls Use Defense, Rebounding to Rout Ganado 60-34

Window Rock used defense and rebounding to build a decisive lead and rout Ganado 60-34 Tuesday night at the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Event Center in Fort Defiance. The Lady Scouts improved to 10-2 in 3A North Region play while Ganado fell to 3-8.

After Ganado opened with a 7-4 advantage, Window Rock took control by forcing turnovers, crashing the boards and converting timely 3-pointers. The Scouts stretched the lead to 38-22 by halftime and invoked the mercy rule in the second half before Ganado trimmed the deficit late. Guard Tiana Edison led Window Rock with 17 points, while Naomi James and Kourtney Bitselley added 10 points each. For Ganado, Jordan Claw and Shawntaya Smith scored six points apiece.

Coach Gabby Whitney had emphasized defense and rebounding during the week, and the Lady Scouts’ execution of that plan was the central factor in the win. Ganado coach Abigail Benally, who took over the program on Dec. 22, pointed to miscommunication as a contributing factor in the loss while noting the program’s potential under her leadership.

The game carries practical implications for both programs and for local fans. For Window Rock, a convincing home victory reinforces the team’s standing in the regional race and provides momentum heading into the middle of the 3A North Region schedule. For Ganado, the result highlights the early growing pains of a coaching transition and the areas—ball security and shooting—that the team must shore up to climb the standings.

The matchup also mattered to the Fort Defiance community, which has invested in the Bee Hółdzil Fighting Scouts Event Center as a home venue for regional competition. Strong defensive performances and rebounding dominance are tangible signs of a developing program identity for Window Rock, and they give local supporters a clearer sense of what the team will rely on in key region matchups.

Looking ahead, Window Rock’s win positions the Lady Scouts to defend their place near the top of the 3A North Region while Ganado will lean on practice and communication work under Benally to address turnovers and improve offensive efficiency. Both teams will carry lessons from this game into the remainder of regional play, where every conference result will shape seeding and playoff hopes for Apache County programs.