Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Top seed Pima captured the 59th EA Holiday Tourney title by edging No. 3 Thatcher 47-45 in the championship game’s closing minute, No. 4 Safford 61-53 in the semifinals, and No. 8 Duncan in the first round. Pima listed a 14-member roster comprised of, not in order, Riley Alder, Clark Ashby, Grant Ashby, Pierce Ashby, Keegan Corona, Garrett Curtis (MVP), Rhett Hughes, Coy Miller, Sam Ray, Preston Russell, Seth Russell, Nathan Skiba, Leland Thompson, and Wyatt Wiltbank. Head coach Cliff Thompson along with assistant coaches Jason Brimhall, Joe Napier, and two others not listed in the program were also on hand.
The outcome for 2022 decided in the final minute at the free-throw line
By Raymundo Frasquillo
THATCHER – The three-day boys’ 60th Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney begins on Wednesday, Dec. 27. It is the second time (first in 1998/36th) it runs with the girls meet on the same three days.
The boys first game, the second of the day, pairs No. 4 seed Safford (8-2 overall) with No. 5 seed Fort Thomas (9-4) at 11:30 a.m., Game 4 has No. 2 seed Morenci (12-1) versus No. 7 seed Valley Union (5-5) at 2:30 p.m., Game 6 has No. 3 Thatcher (2-2) vs. No. 6 Saint David (4-9) at 5:30 p.m., and Game 8 with No.1 Pima (7-2) will not be held for lack of an opponent.
Final round pairings on the third day decide seventh place at 8:30 a.m., fifth place at 3 p.m., third place at 11:30 a.m., and champion at 8 p.m.
Game 2: No. 4 Safford vs. No. 5 Fort Thomas, 10 a.m.
The Danny Smith-coached 3A South Region Safford Bulldogs (8-2, 5-0, 0-0) have a 58-49 (581-488) average score per game or a 9-point margin per game. Meanwhile, the Matthew Dona-coached 2A Copper Region Fort Thomas Apaches (9-4 overall, 7-1 seeding, 2-0 region) are averaging a 52-40 (673-521) score per game or a 12-point margin.
Safford lists 16 on its roster including six seniors, five juniors, and five sophomores while Fort Thomas has a 12-member roster comprised of three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and a freshman.
Game 4: No. 2 Morenci vs. No. 7 Valley Union, 1 p.m.
The Ruben Leonard-coached 2A East Region Morenci Wildcats (12-1, 5-0, 3-0) have a 38-43 (383-427) average score per game or a 5-point deficit. Meanwhile, the Jeff Baker-coached 1A Tucson Southeast Region Valley Union Blue Devils (5-5, 5-5, 1-1) have a 49-64 (491-643) average score per game or a 15-point deficit.
Morenci’s 11-member roster has three seniors, three juniors, four sophomores, and a freshman while Valley Union’s 12-member squad has three seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, and a freshman
Game 6: No. 3 Thatcher vs. No. 6 Saint David, 4:30 p.m.
The Kyle Hull-coached 3A South Region Thatcher Eagles (2-2, 2-2, 0-0) have a 53-53 (213-214) average score per game. Meanwhile, the Tyler Deneweth-coached 1A Tucson Southeast Region Saint David Tigers (5-8, 2-5, 0-0) are averaging a 46-58 (599-750) score per game or a 12-point deficit.
Thatcher numbers 15 with two seniors, three juniors, and seven sophomores while the 14 Tigers include a senior, five juniors, four sophomores, and four freshmen.
Game 8: Top seed Pima drew a bye.
The Cliff Thompson-coached 2A East Region Pima Roughriders (7-3, 3-1, 3-0) are averaging a 55-41 (553-407) score per game or a 14-point margin.
46th Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney capsule
Top seed Pima slipped past third seed Thatcher 47-45 to capture the 59th Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney title on Dec. 29, 2022. It was the 11th meeting of the two teams in the finale and the 11th win for the top seed in the most recent 15 tourneys (45th-59th). The third seed won thrice (2013/51st, 2017/55th, 2018/56th) and the fourth seed once (2019/57th) during the same 15-year (2007-2022, not held in 2020) span.
Pima also downed Thatcher 63-31 in 2016 (54th), 55-32 in 2015 (53rd), 77-60 in 1972 (10th), 57-52 in 1971 (9th), and 49-39 in 1970 (8th) for the title.
Thatcher defeated Pima 45-38 in 2021 (58th), 56-39 in 2018 (56th), 57-49 in 1995 (33rd), 77-60 in 1990 (28th), and 51-41 in 1989 (27th) during the meet finale.
Pima advanced to the championship game with wins of 75-33 over eighth-seed Duncan in the first round and 61-33 over fifth-seed Safford in the semifinals.
Thatcher qualified for the finale with wins of 72-41 over sixth-seed Fort Thomas in the first round and 46-21 over second-seed Saint David in the semifinals.
Saint David pulled away from Safford 69-54 for third place, Morenci ran away from Fort Thomas 66-47 for fifth place, and Saint Johns outlasted Duncan 51-46 in overtime for seventh place.
Safford (61-53 over Morenci) and Saint David (63-51 over Saint Johns) were the other first-round winners.
Advancing in the consolation round were Morenci and Fort Thomas with wins of 67-49 over Duncan and 69-62 over Saint Johns, respectively.
59th Eastern Arizona Holiday All-Tourney Team
Meet champion Pima and runner-up Thatcher both landed four players on the 2022 honor team. Pima had seniors Grant Ashby, Coy Miller, and Seth Russell as well as the most valuable player in senior Garrett Curtis. Thatcher had seniors Christian Carter, Bradley Curtis, Cody Jones, and Brandon Napier.
Third place Saint David had seniors Kylin Richardson and junior Koy Richardson, fourth place Safford juniors Brayden Bowman and Nathaniel Quintero, fifth place Morenci junior Tristen Sanchez, sixth place Fort Thomas senior Michael Stanley, seventh place Saint Johns senior Jordan Winters, and eighth place Duncan senior Brody Waters.
Bradley Curtis netted 66 points and averaged 22.0 points per game, Sanchez (65, 21.7), Koy Richardson (53, 17.7), Russell (50, 16.7), Garrett Curtis (44, 14.7), Winters (43, 14.3), Waters (39, 13.0), Napier (34, 11.3), Bowman and Kydin Richardson both (33, 11.0), Quintero (31, 10.3), Ashby (28, 9.3), Stanley (25, 8.3), Jones (24, 8.0), Carter (15, 5.0), and Miller (14, 4.7).
Ashby, Bradley Curtis, Napier, Kydin Richardson, Russell, and Sanchez were also on the 2021 team. Napier was also on the 2019 team.
Championship: Pima – 47, Thatcher – 45
It came down to the final minute of play at the free-throw line. Thatcher missed the first of two attempts with no time displayed on the clock, and the ensuing intentionally missed second attempt was rebounded by Pima as the final buzzer sounded. A time-out between shots allowed the clock to be reset, with a tenth of a second left. A tip-in was possible to tie the score and necessitate an extra period but outnumbered four to three, Thatcher was unable to touch the ball and score. Pima rebounds. Game over. The Roughriders hoisted the championship trophy.
Seth Russell drilled a free throw area field goal with 57 seconds remaining as half the capacity crowd cheered. It broke a 45-45 tie he had accomplished nearly a minute prior and gave the Roughriders six unanswered points, neutralizing Thatcher’s earlier 6-point advantage.
Thatcher led 15-12 following the first quarter, 30-18 at halftime, 40-34 heading into the fourth quarter, and 45-39 with 5:01 left to play. There were also four first-half ties, 4-4 with 5:27 and 10-10 with 1:53 left in the first quarter as well as 16-16 with 5:23 and 18-18 with 3:49 left in the second quarter.
On the evening, Pima totaled 20 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 5-10 free throws, and Thatcher 15 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 13-23 free throws.
Russell tallied 20 points on nine field goals plus 2-2 free throws, Miller 11 on four field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-4 free throws, and Garrett Curtis 10 on four field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 1-4 free throws.
For Thatcher, Bradley Curtis had a team-high 18 points on six field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 5-10 free throws. Napier added nine points, Carter and sophomore Brett Jones six apiece, Cody Jones four, and senior Bryce Larsen two.
3rd Place: Saint David – 69, Safford – 54
A 3-pointer by freshman Cole Yentsch, who scored 21 seconds into the game, proved to be the only lead Safford would have in the game. Saint David outscored the Bulldogs 5-2 in the next 1:29 to tie at 5-5. The once-beaten Tigers went ahead to stay on Koy Richardson’s first of five 3-pointers 29 seconds later and never relinquished the lead. Safford got within two (10-12) with 1:35 left in the opening quarter, but no closer. The Bulldogs did not match up well. There was too much speed, height, and shooting accuracy from the smaller enrollment Tigers.
Saint David had a 27-point advantage twice, 48-21 with 2:39 and 50-23 with 1:24 left in the third quarter. The Tigers led by seven (17-10) following the first quarter, by 20 (37-17) at halftime, and by 21 (52-31) heading into the fourth quarter.
Safford totaled 22 field goals (five 3-pointers) plus 5-11 free throws while Saint David made 23 field goals (seven 3-pointers) plus 16-25 free throws.
Senior Jeramiah Garcia and junior Jojo Ruelas tallied 13 points apiece and junior Brayden Bowman 10. Garcia made five field goals (three 3-pointers), Ruelas five field goals plus 3-4 free throws, and Bowman five field goals plus 0-2 free throws. Junior Nate Quintero and Yentsch added five points apiece, junior Izaiah Alvarado four, and both sophomore Jace Jameson and senior Marcus Rope two each.
For Saint David, junior Koy Richardson scored a game-high 29 points on eight field goals (five 3-pointers) plus 5-6 free throws, senior Paul Parker 13 on five field goals plus 3-7 free throws, and senior Matteo Carrafa 10 on four field goals plus 2-2 free throws. Senior Kydin Richardson added nine points, senior Wyatt Judd five, senior Ryan Gooding four, and senior Marek Haynie two.
5th Place: Morenci – 66, Fort Thomas – 47
Senior Daylen Johnson scored the game’s initial field goal two seconds after the opening tip. Fort Thomas tied it 1:25 later and added seven unanswered points before Morenci netted its second field goal with 5:01 elapsed.
An 11-11 opening quarter deadlock was broken by Fort Thomas with a 13-12 second quarter effort, resulting in a 24-23 halftime edge.
Morenci returned with a 29-13 third-quarter outing, giving the Wildcats a 15-point (52-37) advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Johnson contributed 10 points, junior Tristen Sanchez eight, freshman Derick Lytle five, senior Derek Saenz four, and junior Austin Hudman two.
The Apaches got within seven (54-47) midway in the fourth quarter, but no closer.
For the game, the Wildcats connected on 24 field goals (six 3-pointers) plus 12-22 free throws compared to 15 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 14-25 free throws by the Apaches. Morenci had three in double-digit scoring compared to two by Fort Thomas.
Sanchez netted 21 points on six field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 7-12 free throws, Johnson 19 on seven field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 3-4 free throws, and Saenz 12 on six field goals. Lytle added seven points, Hudman five, and junior Joseph Seballos two.
The Fort got 13 points from freshman Channing Wilson on four field goals plus 5-5 free throws and 10 from senior Jayshawn Rambler on three field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 2-8 free throws. Freshman Justin Olivar added nine points, senior Tyler Black six, junior Carmelo Robertson four, senior Elijah Moses three, and sophomore Allen Gilbert two.
7th Place: Saint Johns – 51, Duncan – 46 OT
How important are free throws, attempted with no obstructions before you? The outcome of the closely contested game came down to the abilities at the free throw line. Following regulation play, Saint Johns made 4-8 compared to 0-5 by Duncan.
Saint Johns led 11-8 following the first quarter. Duncan countered with a 15-10 second quarter effort giving the Wildkats a 23-21 halftime edge. The Redskins got a 9-8 third-quarter edge and trailed by one heading into the fourth quarter. A 12-11 Saint Johns’ edge knotted the score 42-42 and forced an additional four minutes.
Junior Gabe Alford drilled a 3-pointer for the Redskins 13 seconds into overtime (42-45), senior Benjamin Harris connected on a field goal (44-45) 13 seconds later, senior Brenden Wall made 1-2 free throws to give the Redskins a 2-point advantage (44-46), and Duncan missed the front end of a one plus one 38 seconds later.
Alford added a field goal for a 4-point (44-48) Redskins advantage with 2:18 left, Duncan missed the front end of a one-plus-one award 49 seconds later, but senior Logan Basteen’s rebounded miss and putback narrowed the deficit to two (46-48) with 1:24 left.
Duncan missed the tying two free throw attempts with 56 seconds remaining, and Saint Johns made 3-6 free throws compared to 0-2 by Duncan during the final 39 seconds. Wall made 2-4 and Ethan Skousen 1-2 to complete the scoring.
For the game, Saint Johns connected on 18 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 13-24 free throws while Duncan made 19 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 6-16 free throws.
Wall contributed 15 points on six field goals plus 5-8 free throws and Alford 10 on four field goals (two 3-pointers). Junior Tristen Mineer added nine points, senior Jordan Winters seven, senior Jay Wahl four, Dane Avila three, junior Preston Lindsey two, and Skousen one.
For Duncan, Benjamin Harris had 13 points on four field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 1-4 free throws, and Basteen 10 on five field goals plus 0-1 free throws. Senior Gary Najar had eight points, senior Brody Waters six, sophomore Isaac Harris four, freshman Isaiah Sumner three, and senior Artie Lemons two.
Boys Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney History
This year’s tourney is the sixth meet with seven teams (1967, 1973, 1979, 2001, 2002, 2023), the eighth time (1966, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1989, 1995, 2006, 2023) with a Wednesday-Friday duration, and the 23rd time (1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2022, 2023) occurring on the same three dates (27-28-29).
The 2022 tourney was the 10th (1981/19th, 1987/25th, 1992/30th, 1998/36th, 1999/37th, 2000/38th, 2004/42nd, 2009/47th, 2010/48th, 2022/59th) having a Tuesday start and Thursday finish. The initial meet also started on the 27th but only ran for two days.
Traditionally held after Christmas 48 times since its inception, the meet has also been held before Christmas eight times (1978, 1998, 2000, 2016-21), started before and finished after twice (1997, 2003), and twice held in January (1970/7th, 1975/12th).
Beginning as a 6-team, 2-day meet with seven games played in 1963, the ensuing 59 tourneys included eight teams with four games each in three days unless a last-minute cancelation occurred. Sierra Vista Buena defeated Duncan 87-63 for the 1963 title after the Clifton Trojans edged the Fort Thomas Apaches 68-66 for third place. Thatcher downed Pima 50-46 in overtime for fifth place.
One championship game has gone an extra period to decide the outcome and another went two overtimes. Fourth seed Thatcher slipped past third seed Safford by three (56-53) in overtime during the 2006 (44th) finale and Thatcher edged Safford by three in two overtime periods during the 1983 (21st) finale. There has also been a three overtime consolation semifinal resulting in a 4-point (57-53) win for Willcox over Morenci during the 1988 (26th) meet.
Five of the current seven participants have accounted for 50 tourney champions. Thatcher has qualified for 36 finals (21-15) with four in a row from 2010-13 (48th-51st), a three-peat 2018-21 (56th-58th), three repeats from 1977-78 (15th-16th), 1989-90 (27th-28th), and 2001-02 (39th-40th), as well as single titles in 1983 (21st), 1986 (24th), 1995 (33rd), 1997 (35th), 1999 (37th), 2006 (44th), 2008 (46th), and 2021 (58th); Safford 21 (9-12) with two in a row twice, 1984-85 (9th-10th) and 2003-04 (41st-42nd) as well as singles in 1975 (13th), 1987 (25th), 1991 (29th), 2007 (45th), and 2017 (55th); Fort Thomas 13 (9-4) with three in a row from 1992-94 (31st-33rd), a repeat in 1966-67 (4th-5th), and singles in 1979 (17th), 1988 (26th), 1996 (34th), and 1998 (36th); Pima 16 (8-8) with a meet record five straight wins from 1970-74 (8th-12th), a repeat in 2015-16 (53rd-54th), and last season 2022 (59th); and Morenci 10 (4-6), repeating in 1980-81 (18th-19th), and winning in 1970 (7th) and 2014 (52nd).
Seven other teams accounted for the other nine titles, Holbrook twice (2-3) in 2005 (43rd) and 2009 (47th); Kearny Ray twice (2-1) in 1964-65 (2nd-3rd); Willcox once (1-1) in 2000 (38th); Clifton once (1-1) in 1982 (20th); Eagar Round Valley once (1-1) in 1968 (6th); Tombstone once (1-0) in 1976 (14th); and Buena once (1-0) in the inaugural tourney of 1963.
The other finalists were Duncan thrice in 1963 (1st), in 1973 (11th), and in 2003 (41st); once each by Tanque Verde in 2012 (50th), Mexico Academia Juarez in 2000 (38th), Hayden in 1969 (7th), and Superior in 1965 (2nd).
Sixteen teams have participated in the 21st-century tourneys. In those 22 (38th-59th) meets, Thatcher is 50-13 (.806) with only two games played in 2001, Safford 45-18 (.714), Pima 34-30 (.524), Duncan and Willcox both 24-39 (.381) and Fort Thomas 20-43 (.317). Morenci is 19-22 (.463) in 13 tourneys (45th-58th), Clifton 5-16 (.238) in seven (38th-44th), Holbrook 14-4 (.778) in six (42nd-47th), Saint David 6-15 (.286) in seven (41st, 53rd-58th), Tucson Tanque Verde 4-5 (.444) in three (50th-52nd), and five one-time entrants, Mexico Academia Juarez (38th), Globe (48th), Payson (40th), and Benson (48th) each 2-1 (.667), and Bowie 0-3 (41st).
Four teams have been in the previous 59 meets. Thatcher is 118-54 (.686) overall (two games in 1963, 1967, 1973, 1979), Pima 92-83 (.526), and Fort Thomas 80-96 (.455). Safford is 95-47 (.669) in 48 meets (did not enter the first 11), Morenci 60-47 (.561) in 38 (4th-7th, 18th-37th, 45th-59th), Saint David 4-2 (.667) in two (58th-59th), and Saint Johns 1-2 (.333) in one (59th).
A total of 28 different schools have been represented on the Gila Monster campus. Duncan was 73-83 in 59 (1st-59th) meets playing in only two games during 1998, Clifton ended 41-89 in 44 (1st-44th), Willcox 61-72 in 41 (14th-19th, 23rd-58th), Eagar Round Valley 11-7 in six (6th, 10th, 15th-16th, 20th-21st), Bowie 1-14 in five (2nd-3rd, 9th-10th, 41st), Sahuarita 4-8 in four (8th-11th), Kearny Ray 8-1 in three (2nd-4th), Winkelman Hayden 6-3 in three (5th-7th), New Mexico Lordsburg 3-6 in three (7th-9th), Elfrida Valley Union 2-7 in three (3rd, 12th-13th), Show Low 2-7 in three (12th-13th, 22nd), Superior 4-2 in two (2nd, 4th), Buena 3-0 in one (1st), Tombstone 3-0 in one (14th), San Simon 2-1 in one (8th), and Apache Junction 0-2 in one (two in 11th).
Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney Team Records
Twelve Fort Thomas 3-pointers made during the 57th tourney opener against Willcox (Dec. 16, 2919) tied for the second most made by a team. Safford sank a dozen against Willcox during a 45th (2007) tourney semifinal 81-65 win and totaled the second most 3-pointers made in three games (28). The Bulldogs left with the meet title.
Holbrook netted a dozen against Duncan during the 46th (2008) tourney 75-67 game 2 win and wound up with a 3-game record of 29 as the meet runner-up.
Pima has made the most 3-pointers in a game, 14 during a 42nd (2004) tourney semifinal 61-70 loss to Safford.
Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney Individual Records
Thatcher Class of 2023 member Bradley Curtis tied two others with his Round One 32-point effort against Fort Thomas in the 58th meet. He made 15 field goals plus 2-2 free throws. Previously, Scott Miller of Willcox totaled that amount, also in a Round One game against Duncan in 1981 (18th) and Jimmy Nichols of Thatcher reached that during the 1999 (37th) championship game. Miller connected on 11 field goals plus 10-11 free throws while Nichols made 15 field goals plus 2-5 free throws.
There have been 13 former participants scoring 30 points, nine with 31, three with 32, six with 33, four with 34, three with 35, eight with 36, one with 37, one with 38, two with 42, one with 43, and one with 47.
Frank Campos of Superior has scored the single game most points, 47 during a 70-72 loss to Kearny Ray in the game 3 first round of the 4th meet and three others have scored 42 or more points.
Duncan’s Daniel Corona holds the 3-game scoring record with 104 points notched during the 52nd (2014) tourney. He netted 34 field goals (eight 3-pointers) plus 28-30 free throws, with 36 points versus Safford (67-81 game 3 loss), 31 versus Willcox (54-53 consolation round win), and 37 versus Pima (53-62 5th place loss).
Corona’s 36 points on 12 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 10-11 free throws tied six others, the first being Clifton’s Rory Laney in a 61-78 semifinal loss to Safford during the 12th (1975) tourney. His 31 points tied eight others, the first being Pima’s Mark McBride during the 60-49 game 4 first-round win over Morenci in the 4th (1966) meet.
Morenci’s big man Jeremy Vanegas sank seven treys during the 26th tourney (1988) seventh place 54-53 win over Duncan. Clifton’s Marc Cueto tied that effort during the 33rd (1995) third place 67-76 loss to Fort Thomas, and Holbrook’s Kory Koerperich also tied during the 46th (2008) game 2 first round 75-67 win over Duncan.
Six years later, Thatcher’s Carson Goodman re-set the single game most 3-pointers scored, eight during a game 2 first round 58-37 win over Fort Thomas in the 52nd meet (2014).
