Raymundo Frasquillo File Photo/Gila Herald: Selected to the 14-member 57th EA Holiday all-tourney team in 2019 were, front, from left, Noah Bevens, Malachi Rogers of Fort Thomas, Christian Mpoyo of Morenci, Skylar Kindelay of Fort Thomas, Alec Judd of Pima, Jarrett French of Duncan, and Drew Thompson of Pima; in back are Brandon Napier, Michael Greer, and Collin Thompson of Thatcher, Jejdrique Chavez of Safford, and Latrell Titla of Fort Thomas. Not pictured are Kason Jacquez of Saint David and Rico Lunt of Willcox. Greer was named the most valuable player.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
THATCHER – Sixth seed Safford faces third seed Morenci in the opening game of the 58th Eastern Arizona College Boys Holiday Tournament on Monday, Dec. 20 at 9 a.m.
Fourth seed Saint David hosts fifth seed Duncan at noon, second seed Pima draws seventh seed Willcox at 3 p.m., and top seed Thatcher hosts eighth seed Fort Thomas at 6 p.m. The games are all being held in Guitteau Gymnasium on the Eastern Arizona College campus.
The second round is Tuesday, Dec. 21. In consolation round pairings, the Pima – Willcox loser meets the Morenci – Safford loser at 9 a.m., and the Thatcher – Fort Thomas loser meets the Saint David – Duncan loser at noon. The semifinal round has the Morenci – Safford winner versus the Pima – Willcox winner at 3 p.m. and the Saint David – Duncan winner versus the Thatcher – Fort Thomas winner at 6 p.m.
The final round is Wednesday, Dec. 22. The consolation round losers are paired for seventh place at 1 p.m. and winners for fifth place at 6:30 p.m. The semifinal losers meet for third place at 2:30 p.m. and the winners are in the championship game at 8 p.m.
No. 6 Safford versus No. 3 Morenci
The Danny Smith-coached Safford Bulldogs (4-5 overall, 1-2 seeding, 1-0 region) are averaging a 54-53 (463-381) score per game or a 1-point margin while the Ruben Leonard-coached Morenci Wildcats (3-1, 3-1, 0-0) are averaging a 61-53 (245-211) score per game or an 8-point margin.
Safford has wins of 87-24 over Tucson Catalina (Dec. 3), 64-35 over San Carlos (Dec. 9), 70-59 over Gilbert Leading Edge (Dec. 10), and 55-45 over Sanders Valley (Dec. 11). The 3A South Region Bulldogs lost 61-49 to New Mexico Silver High (Nov. 23), 54-51 to Eagar Round Valley (Dec. 9), 64-42 (Dec. 9), and 56-41 (Dec. 11) to Heber Mogollon, and 81-28 to Pima (Dec. 11).
Morenci defeated Round Valley 48-39 (Dec. 1), Saint David 55-54 (Dec. 6), and New Mexico Bayard Cobre 63-32 (Dec. 14). The Wildcats’ lone loss was 86-79 in overtime to Phoenix Madison Highland 63-30 (Dec. 9).
No. 5 Duncan vs. No. 4 Saint David
The Eldon Merrell -coached Duncan Wildkats (5-4, 4-2, 0-0) are averaging a 54-42 (595-465) score per game or a 12-point margin while Nathan Richardson-coached Saint David Tigers (6-2, 3-2, 0-0) are averaging a 60-50 (476-397) score per game or a 10-point margin.
Duncan has wins of 66-35 over San Simon (Nov. 22), 61-54 over Willcox (Nov. 22), 56-21 over Patagonia (Nov. 23), 51-46 over Sells Baboquivari (Nov. 24), 47-36 over Willcox (Nov. 24), 62-35 over Fort Thomas (Dec. 3), 63-49 over Anthem Prep (Dec. 8), 66-31 over San Simon (Dec. 14), and 46-39 over Tucson’s The Gregory School (Dec. 17). The 1A South Wildkats’ lost 68-30 to Saint David (Nov. 30) and 51-47 to Winkelman Hayden (Dec. 7).
Saint David has wins of 67-60 over Tombstone (Nov. 29), 68-30 over Duncan (Nov. 30), 74-61 over San Manuel (Dec. 7), 71-33 over Tucson Empire (Dec. 10), 49-43 over Sahuarita (Dec. 11), and 62-52 over Benson (Dec. 11). The losses were 55-54 to Morenci (Dec. 6) and 63-31 to Pima (Dec. 14).
No. 7 Willcox vs. No. 2 Pima
The Paul McInnes-coached Willcox Cowboys (8-2, 5-0, 0-0) are averaging a 56-39 (558-392) score per game or a 17-point margin while the Cliff Thompson-coached Pima Roughriders (8-2, 5-0, 0-0) are averaging a 60-36 (599-362) score per game or a 24-point margin.
Willcox has wins of 36-28 over San Simon (Nov. 23), 47-29 over Patagonia (Nov. 30), 38-32 over Tucson Santa Rita (Dec. 2), 49-30 over Saint Augustine (Dec. 7), 30-29 over San Simon (Dec. 13), and 33-26 over Elfrida Valley Union (Dec. 16). The 2A East Region Cowgirls lost 27-22 to Duncan (Nov. 22), 61-38 to Amphitheater (Nov. 23), 40-11 to Benson (Nov. 24), and 40-23 to Tucson Empire (Dec. 8).
Pima has topped Fort Thomas 83-20 (Nov. 30), San Carlos 69-37 (Dec. 2), Gilbert San Tan Charter 65-34 (Dec. 7), Mingus 59-34 over Cottonwood (Dec. 10), 53-37 over Arizona Lutheran (Dec. 10), Snowflake 55-52 (Dec. 11), Saint David 63-31 (Dec. 14), and Safford 81-28 (Dec. 16). The 2A East Region Roughriders’ losses were 47-37 to Surprise Paradise Honors (Dec. 9) and 50-34 to Flagstaff Coconino (Dec. 11).
No. 8 Fort Thomas vs. No. 1 Thatcher
The Matthew Dona-coached Fort Thomas Apaches (10-2, 1-4, 0-0) are averaging a 59-43 (712-515) score per game or a 16-point margin while the Kyle Hull-coached Thatcher Eagles (3-0, 3-0, 0-0) are averaging a 67-32 (202-95) score per game or a 35-point margin.
Fort Thomas has a 54-27 win over Superior (Nov. 23). The 1A South Region Apaches lost 83-20 to Pima (Nov. 30), 62-35 to Duncan (Dec. 3), 55-45 to San Carlos (Dec. 7), 76-25 to Show Low (Dec. 9), 54-46 to Whiteriver Alchesay (Dec. 9), 51-21 to Lakeside Blue Ridge (Dec. 10), 50-37 to Eagar Round Valley (Dec. 10), and 76-45 to Cibecue (Dec. 14).
The 3A South Central Eagles have wins of 78-41 over Whiteriver Alchesay (Dec. 2), 62-28 over Safford (Dec. 7), and 62-26 over Fort Defiance Window Rock (Dec. 16).
Previous Tourney (2020)
The 2020 tourney was not held, having fallen victim to the ongoing global health crisis.
Fourth-seeded Thatcher upset second seed Fort Thomas 60-50 for the 57th annual Eastern Arizona Holiday Tourney title. It was Thatcher’s 20th title earned and fourth back-to-back. The pairing of the two programs as tourney finalists was the seventh, with Fort Thomas having a 4-3 edge.
The Eagles (8-4 overall) bested fifth seed Duncan 66-28 in the first round and slipped past top seed Pima 56-48 in overtime during the semifinals. The Apaches (6-3) reached the championship game by running past seventh seed Willcox 87-38 in the first round and third seed Safford 61-42 in the semifinals.
Pima (9-2) defeated Safford (2-9) 51-31 for third place, Duncan (8-3) outlasted sixth seed Morenci (2-5) 43-40 for fifth place, and Saint David (5-5) outscored Willcox (2-8) 73-41 for seventh place.
Advancing in the consolation round were Morenci and Duncan with wins of 51-44 over Willcox and 57-47 over Saint David, respectively.
The other first-round winners were Safford (61-42 over Morenci) and Pima (58-28 over Saint David).
Tourney Records
It was the fifth straight year with the same eight teams. Pima is 12-3; Thatcher 11-4; Safford 10-5; Fort Thomas 9-6, Morenci 7-8, Duncan 5-10, Saint David 4-11, and Willcox 2-13 in the same 5-year span.
Beginning as a 6-team, 2-day, Friday-Saturday meet with two games on the first day and five on the second day, the ensuing 55 tourneys included eight teams with four games each in three days, unless a last-minute cancelation occurred, and one team ended with three wins, three 2-1, three 1-2, and one 0-3. Sierra Vista Buena topped Duncan 87-63 for the title, Clifton edged Fort Thomas 68-66 for third place, and Thatcher slipped past Pima 50-46 in overtime for fifth place.
Traditionally held after Christmas since its inception, the most recent four tourneys (2016-19) have each been started and completed before Christmas.
Academia Juarez opened the new millennium as the first non-Arizona entrant to be the top seed. The Lobos fell 71-60 to sixth seed Willcox in the title game.
The top two seeds have met in the finale seven of the previous 20 (37th-56th) tourneys held. The No. 1 seed has prevailed in 12 (12-4) meets in the same span. The other champions have been the second seed (2-7), the third seed (4-3), the fourth seed (1-2), and the sixth seed (1-2). The other title game qualifier was a fifth seed (0-1).
Sixteen teams have participated in the single-score 21st-century tourneys. In those 20 (38th-57th) meets, Thatcher is 47-12 with only two games played in 2001, Safford 43-17, Pima 31-29, Duncan and Willcox both 23-37, and Fort Thomas 20-40. Morenci is 18-20 in 12 tourneys (45th-57th), Clifton 5-16 in seven (38th-44th), Holbrook 14-4 in six (42nd-47th), Saint David 4-14 in five (41st, 53rd-57th), Tucson Tanque Verde 4-5 in three (50th-52nd), and five one-time entrants, Mexico Academia Juarez 2-1 (38th), Globe 2-1 (48th), Payson 2-1 (40th), Benson 1-2 (48th), and Bowie 0-3 (41st).
Four teams have been in all 57 meets. Thatcher is 113-53 overall (two games in 1963, 1967, 1973, 1979), Pima 87-82, Fort Thomas 79-91, and Duncan 72-78 (two games in 1998).
A total of 28 different schools have been represented on the Gila Monster campus. Safford is 92-44 in 46 meets (did not enter the first 11), Clifton ended 41-89 in 44 (1st-44th), Willcox 60-70 in 40 (14th-19th, 23rd-57th), and Morenci 57-44 in 36 (4th-7th, 18th-37th, 45th-57th), 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).
Six of the current eight participants have accounted for 49 tourney champions. Thatcher has qualified for 34 finals (20-14) with four in a row from 2010-13 (48th-51st) and four repeats from 1977-78 (15th-16th), 1989-90 (27th-28th), 2001-02 (39th-40th), and 2018-19 (56th-57th); Safford 20 (9-11) with two in a row twice, 1984-85 (9th-10th) and 2003-04 (41st-42nd); Fort Thomas 13 (9-4) with three in a row from 1992-94 (31st -33rd) and a repeat in 1966-67 (4th-5th); Pima 14 (7-7) with a meet record five straight wins from 1970-74 (8th-12th) and a repeat in 2015-16 (53rd-54th); Morenci 10 (3-7); Willcox two (1-1); and Duncan has finished second thrice (0-3).
Six other teams have been champions, Holbrook twice (2-3) in 2005 (43rd) and 2009 (47th); Kearny Ray twice (2-1) in 1964-65 (2nd-3rd); Clifton once (1-1) in 1982 (20th); 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 Tanque Verde in 2012 (50th), Academia Juarez in 2000 (38th), Hayden in 1969 (7th), and Superior in 1965 (2nd).
Twelve Fort Thomas 3-pointers made during the 57th tourney opener against Willcox (Dec. 16, 2919) tied for 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.
Tourney Individual Records
The 28 points scored by Fort Thomas senior Malachi Rogers in the 57th tourney opener with Willcox tied 21 other individual efforts for the same amount.
The first by Clifton’s Karl Shade during a 68-66 third-place win in the first meet (1963) and Morenci’s Jordan Leonard in the fifth-place game of the 55th tourney with Duncan was the most recent. Prior to that, Duncan’s Jason Attaway reached that total during a 65-73 semifinal loss to Thatcher in the 34th meet (1996).
Leonard’s seven 3-pointers during the 57-67 first-round loss to Fort Thomas tied three other efforts, Morenci’s Jeremy Vanegas during the 26th tourney (1988) seventh-place 54-53 win over Duncan, Clifton’s Marc Cueto during the 33rd (1995) third-place 67-76 loss to Fort Thomas, and Holbrook’s Kory Koerperich during the 46th (2008) game 2 first-round 75-67 win over Duncan.
Thatcher’s Carson Goodman holds 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).
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.
