Tara McDonald tips the ball to GG Romero who passes it to Abigail Martinez who drives to the basket and scores. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

GG Romero is the high point player for the game with 25 points. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

By Mike Cote
Sports
Los Alamos Daily Post

A pair of gigantic performances by a couple of Hilltopper girls basketball players led Los Alamos to a big win over Taos.

Los Alamos’ GG Romero and Tara McDonald combined for 42 points Friday night at Griffith Gymnasium as the Hilltopper girls rolled to a 61-44 victory over the Taos Tigers. That win kept Los Alamos perfect in the District 2-4A race with just game remaining in the first half of the district season.

That game was broadcast Friday on the Los Alamos Daily Post’s YouTube channel.

Taos’ defense could do virtually nothing to stop Romero, Los Alamos’ leading scorer on the season. Romero connected 11 times from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, on her way to 25 points.

And down low, McDonald, who has elevated her game significantly in the past two weeks, had a monster showing against the smaller Taos squad, coming up with 17 points and being the dominant force in the ballgame on the boards.

Los Alamos (12-6 overall, 3-0 in 2-4A) started the game employing full-court pressure, the same tactic that worked very well last week against Moriarty, and the pressure again paid dividends for the Hilltoppers early against Taos.

Taos (5-14, 0-3) struggled to even get the ball across the timeline in the first quarter and didn’t even get its first shot off until almost 3 minutes had expired.

The Tigers would eventually settle in and get some offense going, but they were held to just 4 points by the Hilltopper defense in the first 8 minutes.

Los Alamos led by 20 points at the break. Taos put together a mini-run in the early part of the third quarter, cutting the lead to 14 at one point, but Los Alamos bounced back to outscore Taos 7-0 from that point on in the quarter.

Sofia Trujillo added 7 points for Los Alamos Friday night. Arianna Gutierrez finished with 9 points for Taos.

The Hilltoppers have a make-up game Monday against Rio Rancho, then will face Pojoaque Valley Thursday in Jacona with a chance to finish 4-0 in the first round of district play. Pojoaque Valley lost in stunning fashion to Moriarty 47-31 Friday, dropping it to 1-2 in 2-4A play.

Carley Holland drives in for a layup, she scored 5 points for the game. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

Michelle Macias chases a loose ball in the 1st quarter. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com