Kaleena Jones drives past Ellicott players during their Jan. 21 game.
The Manitou Springs girls basketball team is in desperate need of a spark to fire up a hot finish to the regular season.
The Mustangs suffered losses to St. Mary’s and Ellicott last week, making the remaining games in the Tri-Peaks League very important in terms of seeding for districts and playoff hopes as a whole
But for the Mustangs (6-7 overall, 2-5 Tri-Peaks) to find large-scale success, they must focus on small-scale victories. The team’s focus is simply on the next opponent as they try to piece together wins.
“I see glimpses of a spark in every game that we play,” coach Jessie Nunley said. “There are consistent small wins in the things that we’re doing. I think that spark comes from putting the things together that have been impactful in our games.”
Manitou showed flashes of its potential in the 74-46 loss to St. Mary’s on Jan. 19. The Mustangs trailed by just two points after the first quarter and had a successful shooting night. Ashlyn Thomson led the team with 15 points, while Bella Coscetti scored 11 and Abby Parker chipped in nine.
But as has been the case all season, the momentum was halted for almost a full quarter. The Mustangs scored just two points in the third as the Pirates increased their lead and cruised to victory.
The Mustangs tried to bounce back against Ellicott two nights later, but a slow start allowed the Thunderhawks to jump out to a quick lead in the first half. Manitou battled back in the third quarter and did a masterful job of breaking Ellicott’s press to cut the lead to four points heading into the fourth quarter.
Needing a shift in momentum, the Thunderhawks dropped back into a stall game and wound down enough of the clock so that Manitou lost, 49-39. In both games, the Mustangs had their chances to take control — they just couldn’t quite grasp it.
“We just have to make sure everyone is stepping up,” Lexi Vigil said. “We have to be leaders mentally, not just by being able to score. Everyone has to be on the same page.”
The Mustangs face a tough test as they travel to Vanguard on Thursday, Jan. 27, in their lone game this week.