It was an anticipated matchup of great 5A playoff teams that have lived up to the hype of the regular season as El Paso Chapin came into the contest 31-2 on the season and Monterey 28-8 on the year after a 21-point win over Plainview in the Bi-District Round.
The plan for the Huskies of El Paso Chapin was once again to double-team Aaliyah Chavez as most of the teams that have faced her have done all season and in the first half it worked, but Kelly Mora went off for 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half and Tatiana Trotter chipped in with five points to help Monterey secure a 28-20 lead at the half along with Chavez’s nine points in the first 16 minutes.
In the second half, Aaliyah showed why she is the number one-ranked player in the country for her class in 2025 as she exploded with five three-pointers in the third quarter alone to finish up with 28 points in the second half for a total 37 of points to help propel Monterey to a win over El Paso Chapin, 80-58
When I asked Kelly Mora about her performance, she said this:
I also caught up with Kelly Mora and we talked about her holding the fort down until Aaliyah got hot; here is our interview.