By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – I’m starting to sense a trend with this year’s Pima Roughriders boys basketball team: thrilling games that go down to the wire and then some.
In a pre-holiday classic that lived up to every bit of its billing, the visiting Pima Roughriders snatched a dramatic 60-56 double overtime victory over the Safford Bulldogs on Tuesday night in a hard-fought Gila Valley showdown.
It was the second straight overtime win for the Roughriders, who defeated the Fort Thomas Apaches 62-61 in overtime on Saturday, Dec. 13, to snag third place in the Roundball Basketball Tournament in Eagar. Pima also had a one-point victory over Alchesay in the same tournament (57-56) and defeated Scottsdale Christian by one point, 60-59, on the Riders’ home court Dec. 6.
The game against Safford was a slugfest from the opening tip, with neither team able to pull away as momentum swung back and forth in front of a raucous crowd.
Pima struck first, asserting dominance in the paint early. Charlie Richardson cleaned up a Keegan Corona miss with a putback, and Tanner Smith added a runner and a baseline drive to give the Roughriders an early edge. Safford responded with a Mason Hatch step-back three, and a Cade Kenehan rebound led to a Hatch layup.
But it was Safford’s Trae Gaines — who poured in a game-high 23 points — that kept the Bulldogs in it. Gaines hit a long jumper and a clutch three to knot the score at 12-12 after one quarter.
The second period turned into a three-point shootout. Grady Lackner drained a pair of triples for Safford, while Joel Mattice and Stratton McRae answered with and-one plays for Pima. A blocked shot by Fernando Felix led to a Gaines transition bucket, and Gaines closed the half with a deep three from “Seth Curry Land” to send Safford into the locker room up 26-25.
Pima opened the third on a 10-4 run, fueled by drives from Corona and Mattice and interior work from Richardson. McRae’s Eurostep gave the Roughriders a 35-30 cushion, but the Bulldogs roared back with fast outlets. Felix zipped one in, Hayden Larson finished a transition bucket, and Felix added a drive as Safford reclaimed the lead at 36-35 heading into the fourth.
The final regulation frame was pure intensity. Corona’s steal and score put Pima ahead, but Safford answered with a Hatch 3-pointer and a Larson reverse layup to push Safford up eight with just over two minutes left. The Roughriders then clamped down defensively, with Corona stealing and scoring again, followed by McRae’s rebound putback through contact to tie it. However, he missed a chance to end it with a missed free throw.
With time winding down, Mattice blocked a Safford drive, giving Pima the last shot. Tanner Smith’s buzzer-beater appeared good, but it came after the shot clock expired, sending the game to overtime tied at 45-45.
The extra frame belonged largely to Gaines, who hit a baseline jumper and then hung in the air and drew a foul to get to the line. Corona spun for a bucket to regain the lead for Pima, but Gaines answered with a jumper from the elbow to tie at 49-49. Larson’s offensive rebound putback and Gaines’ free throws had Safford up three late, but in a frantic sequence, Mattice saved a ball headed out of bounds, leading to Corona’s contested jumper from deep over Lackner that forced a second overtime, 52-52.
Pima opened with four free throws in the second extra period, followed by a Mattice jumper for Pima. Gaines responded with a floater and another score in the paint to pull within two. Larson blocked McRae, but a foul sent him to the line, where he was good for 1-2. Trailing by three with 11.9 seconds left, Safford struggled to inbound, and Corona stole the pass to seal the 60-56 win for the Roughriders.
Corona’s late-game heroics, including the game-tying three in the first OT and the final steal, proved decisive, while Gaines’ 23 points nearly carried the Bulldogs to victory.
Corona led Pima in scoring with 22. Joel Mattice finished with 13; Stratton McRae had 10; Charlie Richardson and Tanner Smith both had 6 points each, and Isaac Thompson had 3.
For Safford, Trae Gaines finished with a game-high 23 points. Mason Hatch finished with 9 points, while Hayden Larson, Fernando Felix, and Grady Lackner all had 8 points each.
Pima (2-0 conference, 10-1 overall) will begin the 62nd annual EA Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament on Thursday by hosting the Hayden Lobos at the Pima gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. and the Sahuarita Mustangs at 7:30 p.m.
Safford (1-1 conference, 3-7 overall) will begin the 62nd annual EA Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament on Thursday by hosting the Fort Thomas Apaches at Norma Bellamy Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. and the Desert Christian Eagles at 7:30 p.m.
