DENTON, Texas – Despite a valiant effort, the Grizzlies couldn't overcome scoring droughts, marking the end of what many consider to be the best season in the history of the Adams State Women's Basketball program. The host and No. 1 seeded Texas Woman's University Pioneers secured a 73-64 victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday night in the semifinals of the women's South Central Region tournament.
With only two seniors on the squad, the 2024 Co-RMAC Champions are already eyeing a return to the postseason next year.
The game started promisingly for the Grizzlies, who opened with a perfect 2-for-2 from the field, both shots from beyond the arch, securing a 7-0 lead within the first two minutes. However, the Pioneers swiftly countered with a 9-0 run, leaving the Grizzlies scoreless for 3:54. Both teams traded buckets, resulting in a narrow 11-9 lead for TWU at the first media break.
TWU continued to extend their lead to 26-15 with just over a minute remaining in the first half. Despite a late surge from the Grizzlies, TWU maintained a comfortable 47-32 lead going into halftime.
Adams State fought back in the second half, narrowing the gap to as little as 12 points before TWU regained momentum, leading by 17 points with two minutes left in the third quarter. The final quarter saw the Grizzlies outscore the Pioneers by four points, but it wasn't enough to mount a comeback.
Adams State's defense, typically strong, only provided seven steals and 14 forced turnovers on the night.
Leading the scoring for the Grizzlies were Elaina Watson and Kayla Harris, each contributing 15 points. Harmanie Dominguez added 12 points, finishing the season with the second-highest point total in a season, just 16 points shy of the record set by Vera Jo Busto in 2010-11. Dominguez also achieved a single-season record for three-pointers with 101.
Reflecting on the game, Head Coach Mario Caetano expressed pride in his team's performance: "I'm proud of how we played; we just couldn't respond to that first quarter. The girls fought since day one. We knew how good we were all year; these girls earned this. The future is bright."
