Pima welcomes Chandler Prep on Friday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The visiting Roy Corona-coached Pima Roughriders scored on numerous uncontested shot attempts, breaking to the basket without a defender in front of them, managed double-digit scoring in each quarter, and limited their hosts to single digits in each quarter. The result was a 56-27 road win in the seeding game.
Pima led 17-8 after the first quarter, 31-16 at halftime, and 41-22 heading into the fourth quarter.
For the game, Morenci made 10 field goals plus 7-11 free throws versus 20 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 13-21 free throws by Pima.
Five Wildcats scored, with junior Tiara Jones attaining a game-high 15 points on four field goals plus 7-9 free throws. Junior Mayeli Salazar added six points, and seniors Adriana Carbajal and Rozlyn Funari, along with sophomore Arwa Abdulqader, two apiece.
Nine different Roughriders contributed to the scoring total. Senior Macy Allred and junior Morgan Russell netted a dozen points apiece on four field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 2-2 free throws and three field goals plus 6-10 free throws, respectively. Junior Hanna Ashby added nine points, freshman Taylor Ashby seven, junior Cheyanne Alder five, freshman Jacey Tilley four, senior Maddi Dwyer three, and both senior Alana Apodaca and junior Page Ashby two each.
Pima (12-3 overall, 6-0 seeding, 0-0 region) is competing in the 8-member 2A East Region with Chandler Lincoln Prep (12-3*, 8-0, 1-0), San Carlos (10-5, 6-0, 0-0), Gilbert Classical (9-6, 7-1, 0-0), Gilbert Leading Edge (2-4*, 2-4, 0-0), Chandler Prep (4-5*, 1-4, 0-0), Miami (6-8, 1-4, 0-0), and Gilbert San Tan Charter (1-9*, 1-9, 0-1).
Morenci (7-10 overall, 3-4 seeding, 1-0 region) is competing in the 9-member 2A South Region with Bisbee (6-4, 4-0, 1-0), Willcox (9-6, 4-2, 1-0), Tucson Desert Christian (8-3, 6-1, 1-0), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (7-5, 3-1, 1-0), Tucson Santa Rita (6-5, 6-5, 1-1), Tombstone (3-15, 1-7, 0-2), Benson (13-4, 2-4, 0-1), and Tucson San Miguel (0-10, 0-10, 0-2). 2-3/3-1
The Roy Corona-coached Roughriders host Chandler Prep while the Albert Ortega-coached Wildcats visit Willcox on Jan. 9. The two games both start at 5:30 p.m.
Pima is averaging a 49-26 (741-389) score per game or a 23-point margin through 15 games, while Morenci is averaging a 38-44 (643-745) score per game or a 6-point deficit through 17 games.
Pima will next host the Chandler Prep Titans on Friday, Jan. 9, at 5:30 p.m., and Morenci will travel to face the Willcox Cowgirls ot the same time.
