Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Tristen Sanchez (22) readies a free throw attempt against Bisbee on Feb. 2. The Morenci junior made 8-14 and totaled 33 points on the evening. Morenci hosts No. 17 Tempe Prep as No. 16 for a play-in round pairing on Friday, Feb. 10.
2A/3A first-round pairings are to be revealed Saturday
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Morenci welcomes Tempe Prep for a play-in round pairing on Friday, Feb. 10. It is a prelude to the 16-team state tourney, beginning a week later with the first round on Feb. 17.
The visiting Knights (9-8 seeding, 1.6945 rating) split their final two games while the host Wildcats (10-7, 2.1852) dropped their final two games. Tip-off in Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium is 7 p.m.
Tempe Prep Knights
The 2A South Region Knights (12-13 overall, 9-8 seeding, 7-3 region) are averaging a 52-53 (1,309-1,328) score per game or a 1-point deficit.
Tempe Prep defeated Scottsdale Prep 53-49 (Dec. 8), Phoenix NFL Yet 67-62 (Dec. 15), Phoenix Metro Tech 54-47 (Dec. 20), Phoenix Valley Lutheran 61-33 (Dec. 29), Tucson Desert Christian 65-61 (Dec. 30), Chandler Prep 45-41 (Jan. 6), Eloy Santa Cruz Valley 73-58 (Jan. 9), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic 57-36 (Jan. 12), Maricopa Sequoia Pathway 61-52 (Jan. 20), Santa Cruz 56-39 (Jan. 27), Saint Augustine 41-38 (Jan. 30), and Sequoia Pathway 72-42 (Feb. 7).
The losses are 42-67 to Scottsdale Cicero Prep (Nov. 21), 46-56 to Phoenix Arizona Lutheran (Nov. 30), 44-77 to Gilbert Leading Edge (Dec. 5), 43-63 to Scottsdale Rancho Solano Prep (Dec. 12), 44-71 to Tolleson Union (Dec. 19), 54-56 to Glendale Copper Canyon (Dec. 21), 46-69 to Glendale Independence (Dec. 22), 46-60 Tuba City (Dec. 28), 42-48 to Gilbert Arete Prep (Dec. 29), 48-65 to Phoenix Country Day School (Jan. 4), 46-53 to Phoenix Horizon Honors (Jan. 17), 50-62 to Chandler Prep (Jan. 24), and 50-53 to Phoenix Horizon Honors (Feb. 2).
Morenci Wildcats
The Ruben Leonard-coached 2A East Region Wildcats (16-11 overall, 10-7 seeding, 8-4 region) are averaging a 58-51 (1,576-1,373) score per game or a 7-point margin.
Morenci defeated Benson 92-81 (Dec. 1), Elfrida Valley Union 59-21 (Dec. 5), Willcox 46-36 (Dec. 8), Tucson Santa Rita 64-11 (Dec. 13), Tucson San Miguel Catholic 76-25 (Dec. 15), Tombstone 69-39 (Dec. 15), Tucson Empire 1-0 (Dec. 17), Tombstone 58-47 (Dec. 17), Duncan 67-49 (Dec. 28), Fort Thomas 66-47 (Dec. 29), Tombstone 73-32 (Jan. 6), San Miguel 74-21 (Jan. 13), Willcox 58-56 (Jan. 17), Santa Rita 78-44 (Jan. 20), Benson 66-60 (Jan. 24), and Tombstone 70-51 (Jan. 30).
The losses are 55-74 to San Carlos (Nov. 21), 57-59 to Saint David (Nov. 28), 45-82 to Saint David (Dec. 16), 45-70 to Sahuarita (Dec. 16), 50-62 to Sahuarita (Dec. 17), 53-61 to Safford (Dec. 27), 55-70 to Bisbee (Jan. 9), 40-68 Pima (Jan. 12), 40-58 to Eagar Round Valley (Jan. 25), 67-78 to Bisbee (Feb. 2), and 52-68 to Pima (Feb. 7).
2A State Play-in Round
The play-in round pairings are No. 24 Pinon (9-8 seeding, minus 5.1516 rating) at No. 9 Phoenix Country Day School (14-4, 8.7102), No. 17 Tempe Prep (9-8, 1.6945) at No. 16 Morenci (10-7, 2.1852), No. 18 San Carlos (8-11, 1.5397) at No. 15 Phoenix Veritas Prep (10-6, 2.6836), No. 21 Kingman Academy (10-9, 0.9058) at No. 12 Phoenix Horizon Honors (12-6, 4.6350), No. 22 Glendale Prep (9-8, 0.8105) at No. 11 Gilbert Arete Prep (12-6, 5.9490), No. 20 Benson (9-8, 1.4462) at No. 13 Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated (11-7, 2.9728), No. 19 Phoenix NFL Yet (9-9, 1.5363) at No. 14 Eager Round Valley (14-5, 2.6955), and No. 23 Scottsdale Prep (8-10, 0.7127) at No. 10 Glendale Trivium Prep (13-5, 8.5040).
Winners will meet the top eight for the first round in the Prescott Valley Findlay Toyota Center, 3201 North Main Street, on Friday, Feb. 17. The quarterfinals are on Saturday, Feb. 18. The semifinals and championship will be held in the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1826 West McDowell, on Feb. 24 and 25, respectively.
2A East Region Final Standings
The final East Region standings were Pima (22-3 overall, 17-1 seeding, 12-0 region), Bisbee (22-2, 16-2, 14.0130, 10-2), Morenci (12-13, 10-7, 8-4), Benson (16-13, 9-8, 6-6), Willcox (10-16, 7-11, 4-8), Tombstone (10-14, 5-13, 2-10), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-17, 0-17, 0-12).
Final state rankings for region members were Pima (17-1 seeding, unreleased) in the top eight of 46, Bisbee (16-2, unreleased) in the top eight, Morenci (10-7, 2.1852) No. 16, Benson (9-8, 1.4462) No. 20, Willcox (7-11, minus 5.4749) No. 31, Tombstone (5-13, minus 9.8246) No. 38, and Santa Rita (0-17, minus 21.3276) No. 44.
Results of region pairing results to date are Pima (12-0) Tombstone 78-22 (Dec. 13), Bisbee 65-51 (Dec. 16), 79-42 over Benson (Jan. 4), 66-27 over Willcox (Jan. 6), 83-15 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 12), 68-40 over Morenci (Jan. 12), 78-35 over Tombstone (Jan. 20), 60-57 over Bisbee (Jan. 24), 77-47 over Benson (Jan. 27), 70-33 over Willcox (Jan. 30), 80-28 over Santa Rita (Feb. 2), and 68-52 over Morenci (Feb. 7);
Bisbee (10-2) 90-48 over Tombstone (Dec. 8), 96-90 over Benson (Dec. 13), 62-55 over Willcox (Jan. 3), 70-55 over Morenci (Jan. 9), and 86-40 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 13), 61-46 over Tombstone (Jan. 17), 72-60 over Benson (Jan. 9), 72-58 over Willcox (Jan. 27), 85-52 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 30), and 78-68 over Morenci (Feb. 2);
Morenci (8-4) 92-81 over Benson (Dec. 1), 64-11 over Tucson Santa Rita (Dec. 13), 73-32 over Tombstone (Jan. 6), 58-56 over Willcox (Jan. 17), 78-44 over Santa Rita (Jan. 20), 66-60 over Benson (Jan. 24), and 70-51 over Tombstone (Jan. 30);
Benson (6-6) 80-77 over Willcox (Jan. 9), 76-33 over Tombstone (Jan. 12), 75-41 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 17), 84-45 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 18), 54-19 over Willcox (Feb. 2), and 83-56 over Tombstone (Feb. 7);
Willcox (4-8) 65-52 over Tombstone (Jan. 10), 76-54 over Tucson Santa Rita (Jan. 12), and 64-60 over Tombstone (Jan. 24); and Tombstone (2-9) 71-61 over Santa Rita (Jan. 27), 81-72 over Santa Rita (Feb. 3), and 76-53 over Santa Rita (Feb. 7).
3A South Region Final Standings
Final South Region standings were Thatcher (18-9 overall, 13-5 seeding, 8-0 region), Tucson Sabino (14-11, 11-7, 7-1), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (12-13, 10-8, 6-3), Tucson Pusch Ridge Christian (12-14, 7-11, 5-3), Tucson Tanque Verde (18-9, 10-8, 5-3), Safford (11-15, 7-11, 3-5), Tucson Empire (5-20, 4-13, 2-7), Tucson Catalina (1-18, 1-14, 1-7), and Tucson San Miguel Catholic (0-18, 0-18, 0-8).
The state final rankings and first-round pairings will be revealed on Saturday, Feb. 11.
State rankings for region members on Feb. 9 were Thatcher (13-5 seeding, 6.3024) No. 14 of 45, Sabino (11-7, 2.5219) No. 24, Pusch Ridge (7-11, minus 1.9808) No. 29, Tanque Verde (10-8, minus 2.0503) No. 31, Palo Verde Magnet (10-8, minus 2.0609) No. 32, Safford (7-11, minus 3.2103) No. 34, Empire (4-13, minus 9.0870) No. 38, Catalina (1-14, minus 18.9214) No. 43, and San Miguel (1-18, minus 19.3991) No. 44.
Results of region pairing results to date are Thatcher (8-0) 61-58 over Pusch Ridge (Jan. 6), 68-57 over Safford (Jan. 10), 57-31 over Empire (Jan. 12), 80-70 over Sabino (Jan. 16), 82-69 over Tanque Verde (Jan. 18), 70-17 over San Miguel (Jan. 19), 82-25 over Catalina (Jan. 24), and 49-47 over Palo Verde Magnet (Jan. 31);
Sabino (7-1) 72-23 over Catalina (Jan. 10), 70-53 over Palo Verde Magnet (Jan. 18), 56-52 over Pusch Ridge (Jan. 27), 87-32 over San Miguel (Jan. 31), 86-47 over Empire (Feb. 1), 77-66 over Safford (Feb. 3), and 75-66 over Tanque Verde (Feb. 8);
Tanque Verde (5-3) 43-36 over Safford (Jan. 3), 74-22 over San Miguel (Jan. 10), 80-43 over Empire (Jan. 24), 64-34 over Catalina (Jan. 27), and 67-54 over Palo Verde Magnet (Feb. 3);
Pusch Ridge (5-3) 57-29 over Empire (Jan. 10), 66-34 over Catalina (Jan. 13), 63-35 over Safford (Jan. 24), 71-65 over Tanque Verde (Jan. 31), and 60-54 over San Miguel (Feb. 7);
Palo Verde Magnet (5-3) 71-34 over Empire (Jan. 13), 67-49 over Pusch Ridge (Jan. 19), 73-31 over Santa Rita (Jan. 23), 82-29 over San Miguel (Jan. 24), 70-59 over Safford (Jan. 27), and 66-33 over Catalina (Feb. 8);
Safford (3-5) 70-26 over San Miguel (Jan. 6), 60-37 over Empire (Jan. 19), and 61-40 over Catalina (Jan. 21);
Empire (2-6) 65-41 over San Miguel (Jan. 27) and 69-46 over Catalina (Jan. 31); and Catalina (1-7) 57-28 over San Miguel (Jan. 18).
