Yuma High School’s girls basketball team is so close.
The Outlaws are 7-7 overall after this past Tuesday’s home loss to 2A No. 1 Merino. They are 2-2 in the 3A Patriot after last Friday’s heartbreaking 60-59 loss at Highland. Their two league losses are by a combined four points.
“We’re giving ourselves a chance to win,” coach Jeremy Robinson said. “It’s going to take all five who are on the floor for us to win.”
They entered this week No. 15 in the 3A CHSAA Seeding and Selection Index. The Patriot’s Strasburg is No. 3, Resurrection Christian No. 4, Wiggins No. 9, Brush No. 10, and Highland No. 13.
Yuma is sixth in the league standings. Strasburg and Highland entered this week unbeaten in league play, while Brush and Resurrection Christian both were 3-1, and Wiggins 3-2.
The Outlaws return to league play Friday at Frontier Academy in Greeley. Frontier is 0-3 in league play, 3-10 overall. They then host Wray on Tuesday. The Eagles have broken into the win column lately, sitting at 2-3 in league, 2-11 overall.
“Now we have to win some games,” Robinson said. “We’re going to have to go into some people’s gyms and get the upset.”
The Outlaws and Highland played a tense one last Friday in Ault.
Yuma played a solid first half, building a 24-17 lead, including a 15-9 advantage in the second quarter.
The Outlaws pushed the lead to nine points early in the third. However, then the wheels came off and Highland began raining down three-pointers. Briza Flores and Nikki Quinones combined for at least five makes from deep as the Huskies exploded for 25 points
Yuma’s nine-point lead had turned into an eight-point deficit by the end of the third.
However, it was Yuma’s turn to battle back in the fourth, eventually tying the score at 56. The Outlaws had a chance to take the lead but the inbounds pass was stolen and the Outlaws were called for an intentional foul on the ensuing sprint down the court.
Highland converted and built a four-point lead. Yuma closed the game with a last-second three-pointer.
“Defensively we didn’t play very well against Highland,” Robinson said.
However, the Outlaws posted 59 points one game after scoring 55 in a blowout win over Platte Valley earlier last week. Robinson said that game was one of the best all-around performances of the season.
“It’s in there, we just have to get that every game,” Robinson said.
The Outlaws shot 43 percent to the Huskies’ 35 percent. Yuma shot 50 percent inside the arc, while Highland shot 36 percent. However, the Huskies made eight three-pointers, four more than Yuma.
Jade Lungwitz had 19 points and three rebounds, Carolina Ross 17 points, six rebounds and four steals, Bailey Nighswonger nine points and eight rebounds, Berkley Nighswonger nine points and seven rebounds, Taryn Sheffield five points and three rebounds, and Aubrey Black three rebounds.
The Outlaws again gave 2A-power Merino a good battle, trailing by three at halftime Tuesday. However, the Rams quickly opened up a double-digit lead, and Yuma never got closer again in the 48-34 decision.
Lungwitz had 10 points and four rebounds, Sheffield nine points and five rebounds, Ross seven points, five rebounds and four steals, Bailey Nighswonger four points and 10 rebounds, Berkley Nighswonger two points and two rebounds, and Gonzales two points and three rebounds.