The 61st annual Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament opens Thursday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
SAFFORD – The once-beaten Morenci Wildcats take on 5A Tucson Pueblo at Safford on Thursday, Dec. 19, for a 3 p.m. start. It is for a Pool C pairing of the 61st Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament.
The Safford Bulldogs open in Norma Bellamy Gymnasium with Pueblo at noon. Safford completes pool play against Morenci at 6 p.m.
Pueblo Warriors (2-8 overall)
The Warriors (2-8 overall, 1-5 seeding, 0-0 region) host Casa Grande on Wednesday, Dec. 18, before heading to the 3-day Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 19.
Pueblo is averaging a 51-67 (512-673) score per game or a 16-point deficit through 10 games. The Daryl Jones-coached Warriors have a seeding win over Tucson Tanque Verde (67-62, Nov. 26) along with seeding losses to Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge (57-60, Nov. 22), Tucson Catalina Foothills (35-75, Dec. 9), Tucson Sahuaro (34-67, Dec. 11), Casa Grande Vista Grande (54-74, Dec. 12), and Tucson Amphitheater (52-75, Dec. 17).
In addition, the Warriors went 1-3 during the 2-day Coolidge tourney, with a win over Eloy Santa Cruz (70-46, Nov. 29) as well as losses to Marana Mountain View (35-75, Nov. 29), Tucson Canyon del Oro (38-65, Nov. 30), and Casa Grande Vista Grande (70-74, Nov. 30).
Pueblo has a 13-member roster of one senior, nine juniors, and three sophomores. The baker’s dozen Warriors include senior Vez Chavez (15); juniors Gabriel Alvarez (5), Ryan Amare (30), Anthony Carranza (3), Aiden Cruz (24), Manny Douriet (2), Rodrigo Gutierrez (4), Javin Jones (32), Silverio Rivera (0), and Isai Valenzuela (1); and sophomores Brandon Gomez (35), Javier Mancera (11), and Samsin McCarthy (10).
The Warriors are competing in the 5A Southern Region with Nogales, Sierra Vista Buena, Vail Cienega, and Tucson schools Desert View and Flowing Wells.
Region standings through Dec. 17 were Cienega (5-1, 0-0), Buena (5-0, 0-0), Nogales (1-4, 0-0), Pueblo (1-5, 0-0), Desert View (0-6), and Flowing Wells (0-8).
Safford Bulldogs (2-8 overall)
The Bulldogs head to the 3-day Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 19, to complete their December schedule. Their first two pool opponents are Tucson, Pueblo, and Morenci.
Safford (2-8 overall, 1-4 seeding, 0-0 region) is averaging a 56-67 (555-670) score per game or an 11-point deficit through 10 games. The Danny Smith-coached Bulldogs have a seeding win over Willcox (70-60, Dec. 10) along with seeding losses to Douglas (89-94, Nov. 26), Globe (58-81, Dec. 3), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin (39-69, Dec. 5), and Pima (29-66, Dec. 17).
The Bulldogs also went 1-4 during the 3-day Flagstaff tourney, with a win over Grand Canyon (71-38, Dec. 14) along with losses to Chinle (62-65 2OT, Dec. 12), Winslow (38-70, Dec. 13), Snowflake (47-64, Dec. 13), and Flagstaff Northland Prep (52-63, Dec. 14).
Safford has a 12-member roster of five seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and a freshman. The roster includes seniors James Diez (20), Cole Goodman (11), Jace Jameson (15), Cole Yentsch (4), and Nick Yentsch (3); juniors Dylan Broderick (23), Fernando Felix (12), Mason Hatch (23), and Grady Lackner (14); sophomores Dane Jacobson (22) and Cade Kenehan (25); and freshman Trae Gaines (24).
The Bulldogs are competing in the 3A South Region with Thatcher and Tucson schools Andrada Polytechnic, Catalina, Empire, Palo Verde Magnet, Pusch Ridge Christian, Sabino, and Tanque Verde.
Region standing through Dec. 17 were Tanque Verde (5-4 seeding, 1-0 region), Palo Verde Magnet (6-1, 0-0), Sabino (3-2, 0-0), Thatcher (3-2, 0-0), Pusch Ridge (3-3, 0-0), Andrada Polytechnic (0-6, 0-1), Empire (3-4, 0-0), Safford (1-4, 0-0), and Catalina (0-6, 0-0).
Morenci Wildcats (9-1 overall)
The Wildcats head to the 3-day Eastern Arizona Holiday Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 19 to close out the month.
Morenci (9-1 overall, 4-0 seeding, 1-0 region) is averaging a 66-50 (662-498) score per game or a 16-point margin through 10 games. The Ruben Leonard-coached Wildcats have seeding wins over Tucson Santa Rita (73-40, Dec. 2), Tucson Empire (75-43, Dec. 5), Tombstone (93-50, Dec. 16), and San Carlos (50-47, Dec. 17).
Additionally, the Wildcats went 5-1 during the 3-day Eager Round Valley Tourney, with wins over Fort Thomas (69-54, Dec. 12), Lakeside Blue Ridge (59-42, Dec. 12), Duncan (64-54, Dec. 13), Whiteriver Alchesay (57-51, Dec. 13), and Fort Thomas (60-49, Dec. 14) before succumbing to Holbrook (62-68, Dec. 14).
Morenci has a 10-member roster of four seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, and a freshman. The roster includes seniors Noah Chavez (10), Emilio Garcia (22), Yedidia Luputa Kanyinda (21), and Christopher Lopez (23); juniors Abraham Cortez (24) and Adrian McCallum (25); sophomores Aymen Abdulqader (11), Damian Espino (35), and Adrian McCabe (12); and freshman Sebastian McCallum (32).
The Wildcats are competing in the 2A South Region with Benson, Bisbee, Tombstone, Willcox, and Tucson schools Desert Christian, Saint Augustine Catholic, San Miguel Catholic, and Santa Rita.
Region standing through Dec. 17 were Morenci (9-1 overall, 4-0, seeding, 1-0 region), Desert Christian (14-2, 4-1, 0-0), Willcox (6-3, 3-1, 0-0), Bisbee (8-7, 3-1, 0-0), Benson (3-8, 1-4, 0-0), Santa Rita (3-4, 3-4, 0-0), Saint Augustine Catholic (4-7, 3-3, 0-0), San Miguel Catholic (3-5, 3-5, 0-0), and Tombstone (4-9, 1-5, 0-1),
Morenci – 50, San Carlos – 47
San Carlos led 17-10 following the first quarter, 27-17 at halftime, and 36-30 heading into the final quarter. Morenci used a 6-0 run to tie the score with 1:55 elapsed in the fourth quarter. A Chavez 3-pointer and lay-up plus the first of two Kanyinda free throws.
There were six lead changes before Morenci attained a 1-point advantage, 48-47, on a Chavez field goal with 31 seconds remaining. A pair of his free throws with two seconds left yielded the final margin. A last-second San Carlos half-court field goal attempt failed to drop through the net iron as time expired. Chavez contributed 11 fourth-quarter points, Kanyinda four, Abdulqader three, and Lopez two.
For the evening, Morenci connected on 19 field goals (five 3-pointers) plus 7-12 free throws compared to 16 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 12-17 free throws by San Carlos.
Chavez totaled 13 points on five field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-2 free throws, and Lopez 11 on four field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-2 free throws. Adrian McCallum added nine points, Abdulqader eight, Kanyinda four, McCabe three, and Cortez two.
For San Carlos, sophomore Hershel Thompson had 14 points on four field goals plus 6-9 free throws, and sophomore Leandro Simbolo 10 on three field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-2 free throws. Senior Orlando Boni added nine points, junior Lashaun Browning seven, sophomore Taylen Pechuli five, and junior Emica Sanchez two.
Morenci – 93, Tombstone – 50
The host Yellow Jackets outscored the Wildcats 21-16 in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to offset the 48-point, 77-29, Morenci three-quarters advantage. The Wildcats also led by 24, 34-10, after the first eight minutes of play and by 32, 53-21, at halftime.
For the game, Morenci made 37 field goals (ten 3-pointers) plus 9-11 free throws compared to 22 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 2-6 free throws by Tombstone.
Abdulqader netted 22 points on nine field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 1-2 free throws, Lopez 21 on eight field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-3 free throws, Chavez 20 on six field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 6-6 free throws, and Adrian McCallum 12 on six field goals. McCabe added five points, Cortez and Garcia four apiece, Espino three, and Sebastian McCallum two.
Tombstone had seven score, with two in double digits. A complete roster was unavailable.
