Casper, Wyoming — The run wasn’t supposed to end this way — not with Eastern Arizona College missing three of its top players, not with one game left between them and a shot at the program’s first-ever national championship appearance.
But even on a night when they didn’t have their full roster, the Gila Monsters fought to the final buzzer.
Eastern Arizona fell 70–60 to Northwest Florida State in Monday night’s NJCAA national semifinal, playing without Sarah Deng and Trinity Alex-Mayer (suspensions) and do-it-all forward Stephany Goncalves (personal reasons). Yet despite the odds, EAC showed the toughness and heart that’s defined this team all season long.
The Gila Monsters (28–7) — riding a 10-game winning streak entering the game — never backed down. Phalan Sigers led the charge with 18 points and four made threes, while Lucia Auza added 14 points and six rebounds in a gritty 36-minute performance. Eanae Dagons played all 40 minutes, finishing with 11 points, four assists, and four steals.
Eastern trailed 23–12 after one quarter but rallied to outscore the Raiders in the fourth. Even when the legs wore down, the effort never did. The Gila Monsters forced 12 turnovers, kept battling on the boards, and had multiple chances to cut into the lead late.
Ashlynn Chlarson grabbed 10 rebounds and knocked down all five of her free throws. Danaeja Love Romero Ah Sam gave EAC a late spark with a layup, a steal, and an assist that fueled a short fourth-quarter run.
This wasn’t the outcome the Gila Monsters wanted — but it was a performance worthy of the program’s rise.
For the second straight season, EAC reached the national semifinals, a feat only a handful of teams in the country can claim. Last year’s team fell to eventual champion Hutchinson in the Final Four. This year’s group faced even more adversity and still stood tall when it mattered most.
Eastern Arizona ends the season as one of the nation’s elites — and with plenty to build on moving forward. For Gila Monster fans, that’s more than enough reason to be proud.
