Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Safford left Guitteau Gymnasium with the girls 43rd Eastern Arizona College Girls Holiday Tournament first-place trophy. Members of the Robert Abalos-coached team are, from left, head coach Robert Abalos, Analysa Schilling, Kasiah Schilling, Brinley Kempton, Mikenzi Drage, Deion Abalos, Analysa Montez, Mia carter, Jessica Bright-Shade, Cambry Cluff, Brooke Lucas, Rachel Fox, and assistant coach Wade Pedro.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
The Robert Abalos-coachedSafford Bulldogs left Guitteau Gymnasium with the first-place trophy of the 43rd annual Eastern Arizona College Girls Holiday Tournament on Dec. 15.
Top-seed Safford topped third-seed San Carlos 52-35 for the title, fourth-seed Fort Thomas 57-26 in the semifinals, and eighth-seed Duncan 48-12 in the first round.
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San Carlos reached the championship game with wins of 76-36 over sixth-seed Morenci in the first round and 67-60 over Thatcher in the semifinals.
Fort Thomas defeated Thatcher 58-51 for third place, fifth-seed Pima topped seventh-seed Willcox 46-29 for fifth place, and Morenci pulled away from Duncan 50-35 for seventh place.
Advancing in the consolation round were Willcox and Pima with wins of 42-24 over Morenci and 49-14 over Duncan, respectively.
The other first-round winners were Thatcher (67-31 over Willcox) and Fort Thomas (52-42 over Pima).
Championship Game
First time meet participant San Carlos brought an unblemished record into the finale, a 76-46 (609-368) average score per game, and came within 1:18 of leaving with a 9-0 overall record. However, the Bulldogs outscored the Braves 15-7 during the final 5:28 to earn a fifth consecutive meet title and 16th overall.
San Carlos senior Beyoncé Carter added the Braves’ final points, a 3-pointer, to narrow the difference to three points, 48-45, with 1:18 left to play, but no closer.
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Safford senior Deion Abalos connected for two 27 seconds later, 50-45, plus a pair of free throws 16 seconds after that, 52-45, to complete the scoring with 35 seconds remaining.
Coach Robert Abalos was able to breathe a sigh of relief as the final horn sounded.
“It was an ugly win,” he said. “Turnovers and rebounds, I don’t think we had any rebounds. They have two rebounders. They’re a good team.”
San Carlos led 11-10 following the opening period, Safford led 21-17 at halftime, and San Carlos led 34-29 at the start of the final eight minutes, but field goals by Safford sophomore Mia Carter, junior Cambry Cluff, and senior Analysa Montez gave the designated home team a 35-34 edge with 1:24 elapsed in the fourth period.
A pair of baskets by junior Alyssa Martin slipped the Braves ahead by one, 39-38, 58 seconds later, but it would be the dark-clad team’s final lead of the game.
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The Bulldogs totaled 20 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 8-14 free throws compared to 18 field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 7-17 free throws by the Braves.
Abalos finished with a game-high 17 points on seven field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-4 free throws, Montez 14 on five field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 3-6 free throws, and Carter 12 on four field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 2-2 free throws. Junior Jessica Bright-Schade added five points and Cluff four.
For the Braves, junior Cheridan Gooday had a team-high 14 points on seven field goals plus 0-2 free throws, junior Heaven Cosen 13 on five field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-2 free throws, and Martin 10 on three field goals plus 4-7 free throws. Cutter added three points, junior Aaliyah Haozous and sophomore Shania Cassa two each, and senior Celeste Cassa one.
All-tourney team
Safford senior Analysa Montez, junior Jessica Bright-Schade, and sophomore Mia Carter along with San Carlos juniors Heaven Cosen, Aaliyah Haozous, and Alyssa Martin were selected to the all-tourney team.
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Bulldogs’ senior Deion Abalos was tabbed most valuable player for a third time. She also became Safford’s first player to be named to the all-tournament team four years in a row.
Abalos averaged 15.7 (47) points per game, Cosen 15.3 (46), Montez 11.7 (35), Martin 11.3 (34), Carter 9.0 (27), and Bright-Shade and Haozous both 8.0 (24).
The rest of the all-tourney team included Fort Thomas senior Normisha Moses and sophomore Kyia Haws; Thatcher senior Brooklynn Angle and junior Taya Baldwin, Pima senior Alia Blair, Willcox junior Tapanga Alexander, Morenci junior Brigid Sylvester, and Duncan senior Payton Damron.
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Angle averaged 21.0 (63) points per game, Blair 10.3 (31), Baldwin 8.7 (26), Silvester 7.0 (21), Alexander and Moses both 6.3 (19), and Damron and Haws both 5.3 (16).
Four-time selectee Abalos was also co-most valuable player in 2017 and the 2015 M.V.P. as a freshman; three-time selectee Angle was also honored in 2017 and 2016; and Baldwin and Moses also honored in 2017.