SALT LAKE CITY — Juan Diego and Judge Memorial Catholic high school girls basketball teams made the 2013 UHSAA 3A State Championship playoff games, but both teams lost in the first round. In making the playoffs, the Soaring Eagle team won the Region 10 championship for the second year in a row. Juan Diego Coach Natalie Williams said her team’s season ending was unfortunate. "We didn’t play well during the playoff game; the shots wouldn’t fall," she said. "But overall it was great that we won the region again. We had a 19-3 record, which was better than last year. We also had some great games; we were just disappointed that we lost in the first round at state." Among the teams’ outstanding players was Monique Mills, who averaged 15 points and four steals per game. Lancee Whetman, a senior, averaged 12 points per game. "Freshman Ann Marie Nelson played about half of the games, and she was 16th in the state in blocked shots with all of the upperclassmen, so she is going to be an amazing player; she is over 6 feet tall," Williams said. "She will be fun to watch over the next few years. "The nice thing is we will only lose one starter next year, so we will have a great group coming back," Williams added. "We also have a good class coming in; our best players are our youngest players so the next two or three years should be good for this program." The Bulldog girls’ basketball team finished the season with a 15-7 record. In the first-round playoff game, Judge Memorial played defending champion Snow Canyon High School, losing 61-57 after tying the game at 57 in the final minutes. "It was a hard-fought, close game from beginning to end," said Anthony Alford, a first-year head coach. "It came down to a couple of late game mistakes of not capitalizing on free throws. In the last two minutes of the game, we had a turnover that hurt us, but I couldn’t have been more proud of the team. It was one of our better games as far as execution and staying focused on the task at hand. As a coach it was hard to see them upset because I know they worked hard, and as a coach I work for their happiness." The Judge Memorial girls’ success was a team effort, said Alford. "With our top player being junior Kailie Quinn, the number two shooting guard – although she can play any position on the floor – it was a matter of figuring out which five to seven girls were going to play with her," said Alford. Another Judge player who was an asset to the team was Tyree Snyder. "Tyree returned after being out last year with a broken nose and a recurring ankle injury," Alford said. "She is a smart player who would sacrifice her own personal game for the team as a whole. She was kind of like our team mother. If someone was upset, had a rough game or was new to the team, she made sure they were taken care of and made sure the younger players had rides home. She knew my style of play and would help explain my techniques. The girls had to get used to a new style of coaching this year." Judge Memorial also had Cathryn Hunt, a four-year player on the team with a genetic disorder. "All the girls knew she got her playing time," said Alford. "On senior night, Cathryn was one of the starters and scored 15 points against Union by shooting five three-point shots." Six seniors will graduate from the team, "but we have some young players coming up so we’ll have a strong team next year," Alford said.
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