Kaitlyn Mileto scored 19 points and Brandi Collins and Leanndra Gilbert each had 17 to lead Mesa Ridge to a resounding 65-32 victory Saturday over Coronado.

“As soon as we started playing, I knew this was going to be a good night and the game was ours to win,” said Mileto, who had six assists.

The Grizzlies (2-0) created havoc with suffocating pressure on their home floor, collecting 15 steals on the night.

“They’re huge; they really are,” Mileto said of the extra possessions. “When we get into tight games, those possessions are really going to help us excel over the other team.”

Those steals helped make up for a cool shooting night.

“We struggled a little bit tonight,” Mesa Ridge coach Eric Hulen said. “With them packing into a zone, we got out of shooting rhythm. Even if we didn’t shoot as well as we could have, (the steals) still gave us a lot of opportunities.”

Even when the Grizzlies didn’t create turnovers, their defense hindered the Cougars as Coronado (1-2) shot only 18 percent from the field.

“When you don’t have the same athleticism, that can be really tough,” Coronado coach Laura Keating said. “Our girls broke their press really well.

“But having constant pressure, that can make a team really tired so that does affect the game a great deal.”

Coronado’s Cianna Neely holds onto a rebound under pressure from Mesa Ridge’s Leanndra Gilbert and Sarah Curby (21) in the third quarter Saturday at Mesa Ridge. Photo by