Vanden High School Girls Basketball Team Dominates in MEL Play

The Vanden High School girls basketball team has been making waves this season, showcasing their strong defense and impressive performance on the court. After a rigorous preseason schedule that included tournaments in Sacramento, Piedmont, and even Las Vegas, the Vikings are now focusing on their league play in the Monticello Empire League (MEL).

On Friday, Vanden delivered a stunning performance against the Mustangs, securing a commanding 67-2 victory. This win marked the start of their MEL season and was highlighted by an extraordinary defensive effort. The Vikings held the Mustangs to just one made field goal, a feat that is particularly impressive given the high level of competition they have faced throughout the year.

“This is the fewest points allowed since a 91-4 rout of Vallejo on Jan. 31, 2017,” said Vanden co-head coach Jake Johnson III. “It’s hard to hold a team to two points, so that was impressive. We’ve been playing against All-Americans, girls that already know where they’re going to college, so aggressively, we’re pretty good.”

A Defensive Masterclass

The Vikings’ defense was the standout feature of the game. They used a full-court press to force 26 turnovers, leaving the Mustangs with no breathing room. This aggressive approach has been a staple of the team’s strategy all season.

“We’ve been playing really well. Even in games where we lost, we played really good defense,” Johnson said. “This is kind of our staple all year.”

Junior point guard Makayla Smith was instrumental in the team’s success, leading the way with 14 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Smith, who has taken on the role of lead guard this season, has shown remarkable growth both offensively and defensively.

“I saw it in Vegas. She really embraced, not just being a captain, but being our point guard,” Johnson said. “She’s always been a really good defender, but now she’s orchestrating our defenses. Then offensively, she’s been in complete command of the offense. It’s been fun to watch because she’s completely grown.”

Leadership and Hustle

Smith’s leadership was evident throughout the game. When she wasn’t attacking the basket, she was crashing the glass for offensive rebounds, poking away steals, and fighting for loose balls. Her hustle is something she takes pride in.

“To get to where you want to go, you have to put in hustle,” Smith said. “To be a leader, you have to show what you’re supposed to do for the JV kids and other kids coming into the program.”

Senior co-captain Kaitlyn Garcia and sophomore Kailee Brown each added 11 points. Garcia is one of five seniors helping guide a young Vanden squad. According to Johnson, this group is the most inexperienced he has coached in a long time.

“This is probably our most inexperienced group that we’ve had probably since we started coaching,” Johnson said. “It’s a lot of new girls, and even though some were here, almost everyone’s role has changed. They’re coming together though. Even today it was just misses, but all the execution was really good.”

Offense Needs Improvement

While the defense was elite, the Vikings’ offense still has room for improvement. Vanden went 5-for-30 from beyond the arc, and 0-for-8 before nailing its first triple with 5:30 remaining in the second quarter.

“Offensively, we missed a lot of easy shots we usually don’t miss so I’m not happy about that, but I’m definitely happy with the defense,” Johnson said. “We know our offense is gonna catch up eventually.”

The Vikings made up for their lack of shooting by putting a lid on the basket after Ashley Lake converted a layup in the first two minutes of the game. The Mustangs were sent to the charity stripe on three separate occasions to end the drought, but went 0-for-6 at the line.

A Strong Start with Room to Grow

Smith scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half to give Vanden a 33-2 lead at the break. Garcia and Brown scored nine and six points, respectively, in the second half to close out the victory.

“It’s good, but we still got more things to work on and better things to do,” Smith said.