Walden Grove is Trending Towards a Complete Turnaround

The Walden Grove girls basketball team has had some very tough seasons the last few years, including going 2-16 last season and 0-10 in their Region. After beating a tough Sabino team on December 9, the Red Wolves moved to 4-1 on the season and are a legitimate contender to make the Playoffs. Their biggest obstacle will be the Region they are in (4A Kino) which has perennial powerhouse Salpointe, along with Pueblo and Ironwood Ridge.   Walden Grove avenged the early season loss to Sabino by pounding the ball inside and hitting some key 3-pointers in the 4th quarter to stave off a furious comeback by Sabino. Sabino was down by 12 early in the 4th quarter but went into a full-court press that created some turnovers and easy baskets to get them a one-point lead with about 4 minutes to go. Walden Grove settled down and got some key buckets by [player_tooltip player_id='1052279' first='Angel' last='Amarillas'] and Ariana Gramillo.   Head Walden Grove Coach Bri Gamillo, is the engineer behind the early season success. "Our motto is simple, get better every single day. Growth is the number one goal for this program, says Gamillo. When asked about the run Sabino made and how her team responded Gamillo says "I'm incredibly proud of the girls' effort to push until the end to secure the win. They truly left everything on the floor." She knows that there will be some challenges upcoming including her tough Region schedule. "We understand that our region is highly competitive and it's going to take every single member of the team playing a vital role to succeed." She says.   [player_tooltip player_id='1052279' first='Angel' last='Amarillas'] is a 6'1" junior forward for the Red Wolves that has really been playing well during the Summer and early season. Amarillas is emerging as a leader of the team along with Coach Gamillo's sister [player_tooltip player_id='1140905' first='Ariana' last='Gamillo']. They both were critical in calming their teammates down and staying with the game plan during Walden Grove's win over Sabino. "We talked about keeping the intensity up and leaving our all out on the court. If I'm in a position to score great, but if not, I know my teammates are there to help out, Says Amarillas. When asked about what the expectations for this team are, Amarillas was clear; "My goal for this team is to play team basketball and become strong as a team and use all of our pieces. We do not want to rely on just one person."   Walden Grove impact players:    [player_tooltip player_id='1140905' first='Ariana' last='Gamillo'] is flying under the radar. She was injured during her sophomore year and did not play. She is a tall athletic Forward that has a knack for getting into position and scoring in the paint. She is a good rebounder and defender and has a tremendous upside.     [player_tooltip player_id='1052279' first='Angel' last='Amarillas'] is a big forward who can play inside but has a nice outside game as well. She hits a high percentage of her 3-point shots, and she has a solid mid-range game. She is a good rebounder and defender. She is a hard worker who can play heavy minutes and contribute where needed.     [player_tooltip player_id='1096102' first='Marisa' last='Bryson'] is a tough gritty shooting guard that has a nice stroke from the 3, and can drive and score if the opportunity arises. She is a good defender that can defend multiple positions.     Saez Pedraza is a really good Shooting Guard who can play the point or small forward. She is a very good shooter and can score in the paint as well. Very high basketball IQ and is a leader on the floor.    Sabino Impact Players:    [player_tooltip player_id='1197249' first='Jayda' last='Haley'] is an outstanding guard and prolific scorer. She can shoot well from the outside and drive and score with several different finishes at the basket. She is also an excellent rebounder for a guard. She can defend all five positions on the floor at a high level.     [player_tooltip player_id='1197464' first='Marie' last='Gomez-Munoz'] is solid shooting guard that has a nice range on her jumpers. She has good foot speed and does a nice job of getting her shots. She is a good defender who can guard 3 positions.       [player_tooltip player_id='1140903' first='Chayil' last='Combs'] is a very good point guard who has a good pace to her game. She can change speeds on the dribble, and she can find open players with regularity. Love her patience in letting plays develop and making good decisions on her passes and assists.

The Walden Grove girls basketball team has had some very tough seasons the last few years, including going 2-16 last season and 0-10 in their Region. After beating a tough Sabino team on December 9, the Red Wolves moved to 4-1 on the season and are a legitimate contender to make the Playoffs. Their biggest obstacle will be the Region they are in (4A Kino) which has perennial powerhouse Salpointe, along with Pueblo and Ironwood Ridge.