By Jon Johnson
“I’m glad we don’t have to see them again. And now we’re rooting for them.”
– Thatcher Head Coach Kyle Hull
PIMA – The Pima Roughriders’ newest gymnasium was packed to the rafters Wednesday night as the storied Gila Valley rivalry renewed its intensity in a rubber match against the Thatcher Eagles, with season bragging rights hanging in the balance.
This local hoops showdown carried the same electric, community-shaking energy as Rez ball up north, delivering a bare-knuckle battle from tip-off to the final buzzer. The visiting Eagles utilized a 12-0 run in the second quarter and soared away with a hard-fought 61-55 victory, proving once again why this clash between Pima High School and Thatcher High School remains one of eastern Arizona’s fiercest rivalries.
“We had never been to the new place,” Thatcher head boys basketball coach Kyle Hull said after the game. “It’s great to come here. The crowd – it’s super loud in here. It’s almost like playing on the reservation somewhere. It brings the energy. We love it. This is why you play high school basketball.”
The game started as a slugfest, with both teams trading blows early. Isaac Palmer of Thatcher attacked the rim aggressively, meeting Stratton McRae at the hoop but hanging on for the score. Pima answered through its heart and soul, Keegan Corona, who showcased the classic mid-range jumper with calm precision.
Corona then delivered a crisp pass to Joel Mattice in stride for the finish. After that, the shooting gallery opened up as Bronson Stringfellow drained one from the elbow for Thatcher, Tanner Smith matched it for Pima, and Palmer followed suit. By the time Wade Hull connected on a baseline jumper, Pima called a timeout, trailing by 5.
The Riders clawed back with Smith’s silky jumper, but Thatcher isolated Palmer, who crossed up a defender along the baseline for the score. Corona responded coolly, taking a handoff and nailing another jumper. Then Chad “The Fireman” Johnson lit it up, burying a deep three over McRae’s closeout to give Thatcher a 16-11 lead after the first quarter.
Thatcher kept the long-range barrage alive in the second, with Hull hitting from deep again. Pima showed resolve as Charlie Richardson stepped up to score 8 of his 12 points in the quarter, and Pima’s defense stiffened as McRae swatted a shot for a turnover. McRae then spun past Palmer for a bucket, cutting the deficit to 2.
Pima looked to tie on a fast break, but Johnson stepped in front of Isaac Thompson to draw a charge. The momentum swung back as McRae poked the ball loose, Smith found Richardson on the break, and the game was tied at 21.
Thatcher responded with a punishing 12-0 run, sparked by Stringfellow down low and another dagger three from Johnson. Palmer pushed the pace for a layup to freshman sensation JayLeon Way, then took it himself baseline. Way spun free for a baseline jumper and drew the foul, ballooning the lead to double digits.
Pima finally halted the surge with Smith’s second-chance three—plus a foul call that awarded possession, leading to Mattice’s rebound putback for a rare five-point possession. Way answered with a pick-and-pop jumper, and Palmer spun away for a contested three, pushing Thatcher to a 38-26 halftime advantage.
The third quarter featured more back-and-forth action. Corona fed Mattice low, Palmer drilled a three in response, then Corona grabbed a long rebound and pushed ahead to McRae for the score.
A scary moment paused the action with about 1:16 left in the third: Brendan Skiba attempted a charge on Stringfellow, colliding hard and striking the back of his head on the court. Skiba was knocked unconscious and lay motionless as coaches, officers, and family members rushed in. The once-raucous gym fell silent. An LDS blessing of healing was administered while awaiting EMS. Skiba was on the court for about 20 minutes before Pima Fire and Rescue stabilized him, with Lifeline Ambulance paramedics arriving shortly thereafter and transporting Skiba to Mount Graham Regional Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with a mild concussion with no further injuries and was released. After a lengthy delay, both teams warmed up briefly and resumed play.
Pima continued its push, with Richardson scoring low and Smith adding a jumper to make it 44-40, Thatcher entering the fourth.
The final period was pure nitty-gritty. McRae found Richardson underneath again, but Palmer answered through contact. Corona cut for a bucket and drew a charge on defense. Mattice then toyed with his defender before rising for a jumper, cutting it to one point.
Thatcher’s defense collapsed on Hull, forcing a turnover, but Way stepped in for a steal and layup to push the lead to three. Mattice responded with an impressive baseline jumper to make it 50-48, only for Way to zip past for a teardrop over help defense. Palmer drove for another score, then Hull’s three danced on the rim before falling through for a six-point cushion.
Corona converted through contact with 1:17 left to trim it to five, and Richardson drew a charge on Hull (waving off a Thatcher basket) to give Pima life down four with under a minute to play. But Thatcher sealed it at the line — Palmer and Johnson both converted free throws —and a late steal by Palmer iced the 61-55 win.
The Eagles’ balanced attack, led by Palmer’s relentless drives and perimeter threats from Johnson and Hull, combined with Way’s emerging playmaking, proved too much. Pima’s Corona, McRae, Richardson, Smith, and Mattice fought valiantly, keeping the home crowd roaring until the end.
“I’m super proud of our boys,” coach Hull said. “They stuck with it.”
Palmer led the scoring for Thatcher with 20 points, while JayLeon Way (who twisted his ankle late in the fourth quarter and will be out for over a week) had 13, Wade Hull and Chad Johnson both scored 8, Bronson Stringfellow finished with 6, Braden Bryce had 4, and Dylan Riney had 2.
For Pima, Charlie Richardson led the way with 15, followed by Joel Mattice with 13, Tanner Smith with 11, Keegan Corona with 10, and Stratton McRae with 6.
Pima (7-0 conference, 19-3 overall) bounced back Thursday night with a 94-23 victory over Leading Edge Academy – Gilbert. The Roughriders are next in action Saturday, Jan. 17, on the road in Tucson at Pusch Ridge to face the Lions, starting at 7 p.m.
Thatcher (5-2 conference, 15-6 overall) fell to the Valley Christian Trojans 59-75 on Friday night. They will next be on the road to Tucson to face the Pusch Ridge Lions on Jan. 21 and the Palo Verde Magnet Titans on Jan. 26, with both games starting at 7 p.m.
