Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Duncan’s bench reacts to a positive on-court play. The 2024 Wildkats posted a 7-16 overall record, had no seniors, and expect to return the entire roster for the 2025 campaign.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
DUNCAN – “We have everybody coming back,” first-year Duncan head coach Brad Roof said. “We don’t lose anyone.”
There were no Class of 2024 members on the team. Nine different Wildkats started with only two doing so in all three games played last week. The Duncan basketball boys started a junior along with four sophomores during two of the three games, and a junior, two sophomores, and two freshmen in the third game.
The region pairing this week (Jan. 29-Feb. 3) has No. 18 Saint David (4-10 seeding, 3-1 region) at No. 23 Elfrida Valley Union (6-8, 2-2) on Jan. 30.
Non-region pairings resulted in wins of 74-25 for Desert Christian over Valley Union and 58-8 for Patagonia over Tucson Arizona School for the Deaf and the Blind on Jan. 29.
A regional tourney pairing the teams from the Tucson Northwest and Tucson Southeast Regions will be held on Thursday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and Feb. 3, respectively.
No. 27 Duncan Wildkats (7-16 overall)
The Brad Roof-coached Duncan Wildkats (7-16 overall, 6-13 seeding, 1-4 Tucson Southeast Region for fifth of six) averaged a 41-56 (951-1,282) score per game or a 15-point deficit.
Duncan had seeding wins over ASDB (47-29, Nov. 30), San Manuel (42-33, Dec. 12), Valley Union (46-37, Jan. 10), Nogales Lourdes Catholic (58-41, Jan. 11), San Manuel (46-39, Jan. 24), and Superior (45-42 OT, Jan. 26). The losses were to Tombstone (38-50, Nov. 17), Sells Baboquivari (40-43, Nov. 29), Tucson Desert Christian (32-82, Dec. 8), Fort Thomas (43-53, Dec. 14), Kearny Ray (46-73, Dec. 15), Willcox (50-73, Dec. 18), Winkelman Hayden (38-53, Jan. 3), Saint David (51-67, Jan. 8), Ray (31-44, Jan. 13), Baboquivari (37-65, Jan. 16), Patagonia (36-43, Jan. 18), Tombstone (44-50, Jan. 20), and Valley Union (30-52, Jan. 22).
Additionally, the Wildkats went 1-3 during the 3-day Amphitheater tourney on Nov. 20-22. The win was over Patagonia (53-50, Nov. 22) while the losses were to Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (44-68, Nov. 20), Hayden (34-66, Nov. 21), and Tucson Empire (41-79, Nov. 21).
Duncan’s roster included juniors Isaac Harris (12) and Tim Lunt (14); sophomores Joseph Contreras (40),Josh Free (50), Tanner Giocoletti (32), Taysan Jensen (22), Guy Reidhead (30), Pablo Ruiz (10), and Isaac Sumner (24); and freshmen Jarren Butler (34) and Conner Free (4).
1A Tucson Southeast Region Standings
The 1A Tucson Southeast Region standings following 13 games through Jan. 29, were Sells Baboquivari (10-3 seeding, 5-0 region)) first, Saint David (4-10, 3-1 second, Patagonia (10-7, 3-2) third, Valley Union (6-9, 2-2) fourth, Duncan (6-13, 1-3) fifth, and Lourdes (2-9, 0-4) sixth.
Baboquivari (5-0) has region wins over Valley Union (86-54, Dec. 20), Patagonia (80-16, Jan. 12), Duncan(65-37, Jan. 16), Saint David (83-29, Jan. 18), and Lourdes (74-27, Jan. 19). The No. 4 Warriors are averaging a 78-33 (388-163) score per region game or a 45-point margin.
Saint David (3-1) has region wins over Patagonia (58-37, Jan. 4), Duncan (67-51, Jan. 8), and Lourdes (78-42, Jan. 9). The No. 18 Tigers are averaging a 58-53 (232-213) score per region game or a 5-point margin.
Patagonia (3-2) has region wins over Lourdes (71-33, Dec. 18), Valley Union (44-31, Jan. 16), and Duncan (43-36, Jan. 18). The No. 20 Lobos are averaging a 42-48 (211-238) score per region game or a 6-point deficit.
Valley Union (2-2) has region wins over Lourdes (69-41, Dec. 11) and Duncan (52-30, Jan. 22). The No. 23Blue Devils are averaging a 52-50 (206-201) score per region game or a 12-point margin.
Duncan (1-4) had region a win over Lourdes (58-41, Jan. 11). The No. 27 Wildkats averaged a 42-54 (212-268) score per region game or a 12-point deficit.
The No. 36 San Simon Longhorns (0-4) are averaging a 20-51 (81-205) score per region game or a 31-point deficit.
2A State Rankings
The 1A state rankings as of noon on Jan. 26 listed Tucson’s The Gregory School No. 1 (16-0 seeding, 15.3155 rating), Phoenix North Valley Christian No. 2 (14-2, 11.2538), Tucson Desert Christian No. 3 (12-2, 7.8073), Sells Baboquivari No. 4 (10-3, 6.4077), Anthem Prep No. 5 (14-2, 6.2163), Fort Thomas No. 6 (14-3, 6.0944), Colorado City El Capitan/Academy No. 7 (14-3, 2.3890), Winkelman Hayden No. 8 (12-6, 1.4754), Heber Mogollon No. 9 (10-5, 1.4754), and Wellton Antelope No. 10 (10-3, 0.5814).
Joseph City was No. 11 (11-6, 0.1908), Kearny Ray No. 12 (14-3, minus 0.9876), Williams No. 13 (13-4, minus 1.3003), Flagstaff Basis No. 14 (15-3, minus 1.3174), Scottsdale Cicero Prep No. 15 (8-7, minus 1.9577), and Salome No. 16 (8-6, minus 3.9827).
Initial rankings on Jan. 9 had The Gregory School No. 1 (10-0 seeding, 15.2105 rating), North Valley Christian No. 2 (7-1, 13.3758), Fort Thomas No. 3 (8-1, 7.1284), Desert Christian No. 4 (6-2, 6.1456), Hayden No. 5 (7-3, 5.0731), El Capitan/Academy No. 6 (8-2, 5.0514), Baboquivari No. 7 (5-3, 4.9063), Anthem Prep No. 8 (8-2, 4.0392), Joseph City No. 9 (7-3, 3.4480), and Mogollon No. 10 (5-2, 3.3008).
Flagstaff Basis was No. 11 (10-2, 2.5582), Scottsdale Cicero Prep No. 12 (5-3, minus 2.0835), Ray No. 13 (12-1, minus 1.4472), Antelope No. 14 (4-1, 0.1252), Williams No. 15 (7-3, minus 0.7100), and Salome No. 16 (4-5, minus 3.1632).
Duncan – 45, Superior – 42 OT
Three of four Jensen (22) free throws in the closing seconds of overtime proved to be the difference in the game. The Duncan sophomore connected on 1-2 for a 43-40 advantage with 24 seconds remaining and 2-2 to go up 45-40 with five seconds left. Superior’s Adam Sandoval (13) countered with a field goal as the buzzer sounded, but it was not enough.
The score was tied eight times throughout the game, once in the first period, 2-2 with 2:06 elapsed; once in the second period, 14-14 with 2:05 left; twice in the third period, 16-16 with 19 seconds elapsed and 25-25 with 1:20 left; thrice in the fourth period, 32-32 with 4:13 left, 36-36 with 1:28 left, and 38-38 with 1:08 left; and once in the extra period, 40-40 with 1:22 elapsed.
Superior led 13-7 following the first period and 27-25 heading into the fourth period. Duncan had a 16-14 halftime edge. The Panthers had an 8-point advantage, 25-17 with 2:53 left in the third period while the Wildkats led by five points twice, 30-25 with 1:20 elapsed in the fourth period and 45-40 with five seconds left in the extra period.
Duncan totaled 14 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 14-23 free throws versus 18 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 3-9 free throws by Superior.
Sumner (24) netted a team-high 15 points on seven field goals plus 1-5 free throws and Jensen (22) 12 on two field goals plus 8-10 free throws. Harris (12) added nine points, Ruiz six, and Giacoletti (32) three.
For Superior, Antonio Lopez had a game-high 27 points on 12 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 0-3 free throws and Sandoval 10 on five field goals. Eli Smith added four points and James Vasquez one.
Duncan – 46, San Manuel – 39
Duncan led 14-9 following the first quarter, but a 9-5 San Manuel second quarter outing narrowed the gap to one, 19-18 at halftime. San Manuel returned to take a 22-19 edge during the opening 2:21, but Duncan countered with an 11-2 run to lead 30-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
A Giacoletti (32) 3-pointer with 2:07 left in the third quarter broke the game’s final tie, 24-24, and gave the Wildkats the lead for good. The hosts went on an 11-0 run during the initial three minutes of the fourth quarter to post a 17-point advantage, 41-24, before the Miners scored again. San Manuel finished on a 15-5 run of its own to close out the game, but it was too little, too late.
Duncan totaled 17 field goals (five 3-pointers) plus 7-24 free throws compared to 16 field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 6-11 free throws by San Manuel.
Harris (12) had a team and game-high 17 points on six field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 3-7 free throws and Sumner (24) 13 on six field goals plus 1-6 free throws. Jensen added six points, Giacoletti four, Reidhead three, and Lunt two.
For San Manuel, senior Sebastian Pinedo (0) tallied a game-high 18 points on eight field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 1-6 free throws. senior Michael Esparza (5) added seven points, junior Dominic Rodriguez (21) six, junior David Valencia (35) four, and both seniors Mateo Chavez (1) and Augustine Romero (11) two each.
Valley Union – 52, Duncan – 30
The Wildkats led 10-8 following the opening quarter, but were kept from scoring in double figures during the remaining three quarters. Valley Union led 17-15 at halftime and 31-23 heading into the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils outscored their hosts 3-1 (21-7) in the fourth quarter.
For the game, Duncan netted 14 field goals plus 2-3 free throws compared to 21 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 6-10 free throws by Valley Union.
Harris (12) had a team-high 13 points on six field goals plus 1-1 free throws. Sumner (24) added sevenpoints, Reidhead (30) six, and both Giacoletti (32) and Lunt (14) two apiece.
For Valley Union, junior Dylan Mitchell (5) netted a game-high 23 points on nine field goals plus 5-7 free throws. Senior Braydon Draback (00) added eight points, senior John Curiel (11) and sophomore Myles Richardson (3) six apiece, freshman Skylar Sampson (1) three, and senior Landon Glenn (23) along with juniors Steven De la Cruz (22) and Jose Sosa (30) two each.
