Pueblo senior wing player America Cazares was on pace to score 60 points after the first quarter, well in range to eclipse the state’s career scoring record, but that pursuit and the Warriors’ ability to advance in the Open Division playoffs did not go as planned.
No. 25 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep, behind its relentless offensive rebounding and 30 points from guard Lily McCracken, pulled off the stunning result of 75-45 at Warrior Gym on Tuesday night against No. 8 Pueblo in the Open Division opening round.
Pueblo (23-5) now shifts its focus to the 5A state playoffs that start next season after suffering the rout at the hands of Notre Dame Prep (15-13).
“I feel like we just need to play more as a team and move the ball around,” said Cazares, who had 15 of her 28 points in the first quarter. “I feel like we need to communicate more on defense and play together more.”
No. 8 Pueblo falls to No. 25 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep 75-45 in the opening round of the Open Division. America Cazares finished with 28 points. She will have to try to break Julie Brase’s state record of 2,913 in the first round of the 5A state tournament next week. Cazares is… https://t.co/B67y259JhV pic.twitter.com/vYymX3fZyj
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) February 18, 2026
The Warriors figure to be one of the top seeds in the 5A bracket and will get a home game in the opening round next week when play begins. The bracket will be announced after Thursday’s second round of the Open Division.
Cazares will have at least one more opportunity to break Julie Brase’s state record for career points of 2,913, set from 1994-1998 with Catalina Foothils. The prolific-scoring Cazares, who is bound for Pima Community College’s successful program led by Todd Holthaus, is 20 points shy of the record at 2,893 after her 28-point performance against Notre Dame Prep.
“I don’t really think about that,” Cazares said of the state record. “I take it game by game. When it happens, it happens.”
Pueblo’s America Cazares scored 28 in the Warriors’ 75-45 loss to Scottsdale Notre Dane Prep. That puts her at 2,893 points in her career, 20 shy of Julie Brase’s state record of 2,913 points. She is not allowing that to be her focus, especially now with the Warriors out of the… pic.twitter.com/5A8bHT26rf
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) February 18, 2026
Pueblo coach Izzy Galindo said he does not see any signs of Cazares being affected by the media attention placed on her because of her challenging Brase’s state record.
Cazares made three of her first four shots, including three consecutive 3-pointers to start the game, against Phoenix Notre Dame. She wound up making only one more 3-pointer and was 8 for 31 from the field.
She was perfect from the free-throw line, making all eight of her attempts.
“One of the messages I talked about back there (near the locker room) right now was you guys (his players) working on your own,” Galindo said. “America is the one who stays after practice every day — works on her dribbling, works on playing through contact, works on her shooting …
“We’re playing against teams from Phoenix who literally do this year-round and I have three or four girls who do it year-round and others who just come during the basketball season. I actually had three freshmen out there most of the game. It is what it is. You just got to play with what you got and go at it.”
Pueblo coach Izzy Galindo reflects on his team’s 75-45 loss to Scottsdale Notre Dame in the opening round of the Open Division. Prolific scoring guard America Cazares had 28 of her team’s 45 points. Next: Potential high seed in the 5A state tournament next week. pic.twitter.com/K9jCRgnLpC
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) February 18, 2026
Cazares’ 15 points in the first quarter enabled Pueblo to stay close with the game tied at 17 going into the second quarter.
She then suffered an scoreless performance in the second quarter, going 0 for 8 from the field.
Notre Dame Prep pulled away to a 37-25 halftime lead behind 18 points from McCraken, who made four of her six 3-pointers in the half.
The Saints scored the first five points of the second half, two of the baskets off put-backs, and McCraken scored six consecutive points in one sequence to put Notre Dame Prep ahead 48-29 with 51 seconds left in the third quarter.
The lead mounted to 56-33 following a 3-pointer by McCraken with 6:10 left.
Cazares then snapped a stretch of seven straight missed 3-pointers by making one with 5:54 remaining.
More frustration set in with the Warriors because of Notre Dame Prep using its height advantage, including 6-foot-4 center Elena Snook, to get many offensive rebounds in the second half.
Brooklyn Espinoza, who has surpassed 1,000 career rebounds as a junior, had difficulty controlling the boards. She needed more help from her teammates.
“Brooklyn is our main rebounder, but I feel if everybody pitches in and helps her with rebounding, we’ll be fine,” Cazares said.
Galindo mentioned he will rely on his “scrappy” and shorter players as he has done in his 14 years as head coach when the Warriors go against teams with a height advantage.
“The tallest girl I’ve ever had is 5-11 maybe,” he said. “On average, they’re like 5-5, 5-6. So we’ll just work on our dribbling, work on our shooting … just take it at ’em and whatever happens, happens.
“We’ve won a lot of games in my tenure here playing our style of basketball. It’s fun to watch but when you get a team like this (Notre Dame Prep) that beats you up, it happens and there’s not much you can do after that.”
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