Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Noah Chavez (10) wrestles the ball away from Round Valley senior Ryker Marble (1). The Morenci junior netted a team and game-high 16 points while Marble had 11. Morenci hosts Bisbee for a region contest on Monday, Jan. 8.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – The Bisbee Pumas visit Wildcat Memorial Gymnasium on Monday, Jan. 8 and the Tombstone Yellow Jackets enter on Friday, Jan. 12, both for region contests.
In other region pairings this week (Jan. 8-13), Pima visits Santa Rita and Willcox visits Benson on Jan. 8; Benson visits Pima on Wednesday, Jan. 10; Morenci visits Pima, Tombstone visits Benson, and Willcox visits Santa Rita on Thursday, Jan. 11.
In non-region pairings, Bisbee visits Saint David on Jan. 11.
Bisbee Pumas (10-6 overall)
The Michael Hernandez-coached Bisbee Pumas (10-6 overall, 6-2 seeding, 4-1 East Region) are averaging a 57-52 (859-787) score per game or a 5-point margin.
Bisbee has seeding wins over San Carlos (76-60, Dec. 4), Tombstone (76-43, Dec. 7), Benson (56-55, Dec. 12), Elfrida Valley Union (81-35, Dec. 18), Willcox (69-52, Jan. 2), and Santa Rita (59-35, Jan. 5). The losses are to Tucson’s The Gregory School (46-62, Nov. 29) and Pima (28-55, Dec. 15).
Additionally, the Pumas posted a combined 1-8 record during two 3-day tourneys. They went 1-5 in the Bisbee tourney on Dec. 14-16 and 0-3 in the 3-day Pima CC tourney. The win was over Tucson Saint Miguel Catholic (54-21, Dec. 15) while losses were to Tucson Empire (35-85, Dec. 14), Douglas (45-54, Dec. 14), Sells Baboquivari (42-45, Dec. 15), Sahuarita (49-55, Dec. 16), Tucson Empire (46-78, Dec. 16), Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (56-71, Dec. 21), Mesa Skyline (28-52, Dec. 22), and Tucson Tanque Verde (51-65, Dec. 23).
Bisbee’s roster has seniors Edgardo Gamez, Julian Fuentes Hernandez (5), Francisco Loya (0), Adolfo Luna (32), Jose Mendez (3), Anthony Molina (2), and Juan Pablo Navarro (15); juniors Emilio Diaz Lopez and Sebastian Lopez (4); and sophomores Luiz Ramirez, Gil Ruiz, Roman Vasquez, and Hunter Wright.
Tombstone Yellow Jackets (5-10)
The Jordan Hale-coached Tombstone Yellow Jackets (5-10 overall, 3-6 seeding, 0-4 East Region) are averaging a 48-61 (724-914) score per game or a 13-point deficit.
Tombstone has seeding wins over Duncan (50-38, Nov. 17), Tucson San Miguel Catholic (55-52, Nov. 21), and Saint David (62-49, Nov. 29). The losses are to Elfrida Valley Union (65-69, Nov. 30), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic (31-63, Dec. 5), Bisbee (43-76, Dec. 7), Pima (26-71, Dec. 12), Willcox (50-58, Dec. 19), and Morenci (43-85, Jan. 5).
The Yellow Jackets also posted a 2-4 record during the 3-day Benson tourney on Dec. 14-16. The wins were 64-55 over San Miguel (65-55, Dec. 15) and San Miguel (68-55, Dec. 16) while the losses were to Tucson Empire (47-80, Dec. 14), Douglas (44-71, Dec. 14), Sahuarita (35-49, Dec. 15), and Saint David (43-45, Dec. 16).
A 12-member roster has already gone up against the Wildcats, including seniors Ben Boulay (10), Alec De la Pena (00), and Malachi Keller (11); juniors Kobe Collins (5), Josh Givens (32), Hunter Griesemer (21), Sebastian Jones (40), Deandre Taylor (33), and Tyrick Tester (2); and freshmen Talon Rodriguez (20), Jarod Smith (14), and Sasha Webster (4).
Morenci Wildcats (16-2)
The Ruben Leonard-coached Morenci Wildcats (16-2 overall, 8-0 seeding, 4-0 East Region) are averaging a 66-43 (1,182-778) score per game or a 23-point margin.
Morenci has seeding wins over San Carlos (75-42, Nov. 20), Saint David (74-28, Nov. 27), Elfrida Valley Union (96-21, Dec. 4), Willcox (52-40, Dec. 6), Tucson Santa Rita (79-52, Dec. 12), Benson (54-42, Dec. 18), Round Valley (67-55, Jan. 2), and Tombstone (85-43, Jan. 5).
Additionally, the Wildcats posted a combined 8-2 record in two 3-day tourneys. They went 6-1 during the Eagar Round Valley tourney on Dec. 7-9 and 2-1 during the EAC tourney on Dec. 27-29. The wins were over Saint Johns (56-35, Dec. 7), Heber Mogollon (68-43, Dec. 7), Whiteriver Alchesay (52-48, Dec. 8), Fort Thomas (53-42, Dec. 9), Lakeside Blue Ridge (65-40, Dec. 9), Round Valley (71-50, Dec. 9). The losses were to Round Valley (60-68, Dec. 8) and Thatcher (52-58, Dec. 29).
Seniors Tristen Sanchez (22) and Joseph Seballos (5); juniors Noah Chavez (10), Yedidia Laputa Kanyinda (13), and Christopher Lopez (23); sophomores Abraham Cortez (0), Derick Lytle (3), and Adrian McCallum (25); and freshmen Aymen Abdulqader (2) and Adrian McCabe (12) make up the squad.
2A East Region Standings
The 2A East Region standings through Jan. 5 are Morenci (16-2 overall, 8-0 seeding, 4-0 region), Pima (9-5, 3-2, 3-0), Bisbee (10-6, 6-2, 4-1), Benson (5-12, 2-5, 1-2), Willcox (6-12, 4-5, 1-3), Tombstone (5-10, 3-6, 0-4), and Tucson Santa Rita (0-7, 0-7, 0-3).
Thirteen region games have been played to date. Morenci (4-0) has wins over Willcox (52-40, Dec. 6), Santa Rita (79-52, Dec. 12), Benson (54-42, Dec. 18), and Tombstone (87-43, Jan. 5); Pima (3-0) over Willcox (65-31, Dec. 1), Tombstone (71-26, Dec. 12), and Bisbee (55-28, Dec. 15); Bisbee (4-1) over Tombstone (76-43, Dec. 7), Benson (56-55, Dec. 12), Willcox (69-52, Jan. 2), and Santa Rita (59-35, Jan. 5); Benson (1-2) over Santa Rita (55-19, Dec. 7); and Willcox (1-3) over Tombstone (58-50, Dec. 19).
Morenci is averaging a 66-43 (1,182-778) score per game or a 23-point margin 18 games, Pima a 53-42 (738-587) score per game or an 11-point margin through 14 games, Benson a 48-39 (818-624) score per game or a 9-point margin through 17 games, Bisbee a 57-52 (859-787) score per game or a 5-point margin through 16 games, Willcox a 48-54 (869-974) score per game or a 6-point deficit through 18 games, Tombstone a 48-61 (724-914) score per game or a 13-point deficit through 15 games, and Santa Rita a 36-72 (252-502) score per game or a 36-point deficit through seven games.
Morenci – 87, Tombstone – 43
The Wildcats returned from “the town too tough to die” with both a seeding and region win. They attained double figures in each of the four quarters while the host Yellow Jackets did so in only the first two.
Morenci led 26-15 following the opening quarter, 50-29 at halftime, and 76-37 heading into the final quarter. The entire roster suited up and contributed to the scoring total.
For the game, Morenci connected on 37 field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 12-23 free throws compared to 17 field goals (three 3-pointers) plus 6-17 free throws by Tombstone.
Sanchez (22) netted 24 points on 10 field goals plus 4-8 free throws, Kanyinda (13) 16 on seven field goals plus 2-4 free throws, Lopez (23) 16 on eight field goals, and Chavez (10) 14 on six field goals plus 2-5 free throws. Lytle (3) added eight points, Seballos (5) four, McCabe (12) three, and Abdulqader (2) two.
Tombstone got a team-high 17 points from senior Malachi Keller (11) on seven field goals (one 3-pointer) plus 2-4 free throws. Junior Hunter Griesemer (21) added nine points, junior Josh Givens (32) five, junior Tyrick Tester (2) four, senior Alec De la Pena (00) and junior Kobe Collins (5) three apiece, and freshman Talon Rodriguez (20) two.
Morenci – 67, Round Valley – 55
A Chavez 3-pointer with 2:11 left in the third quarter gave the Wildcats the lead for good at 37-35. His next one with 4:54 remaining gave the Wildcats a 54-41 advantage, their largest lead of the game.
The Elks pared the deficit to single digits at 52-61 with 2:32 remaining, but no closer. There were two ties (2-2 and 4-4) in the first quarter, one (23-23 with 1:50 left) in the second quarter, and three (25-25, 27-27, 30-30) in the third quarter as the last one came with 4:54 left, but none in the fourth quarter.
Morenci outscored the Elks 18-13 in the third quarter following a 23-23 halftime tie, and 26-19 in the fourth quarter. Round Valley led 14-11 after the first quarter.
The Wildcats totaled 27 field goals (nine 3-pointers) plus 4-8 free throws compared to 20 field goals (four 3-pointers) plus 11-15 free throws by the Elks.
Seven Wildcats scored with three reaching double figures. Chavez netted 16 points on seven field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 0-3 free throws, Seballos 12 on five field goals (two 3-pointers), and Abdulqader 12 on four 3-pointers. Lopez added nine points, Kanyinda eight, Lytle six, and Sanchez four.
For Round Valley, junior Brody Ziegler (12) had 15 points on six field goals plus 3-4 free throws, senior Brett Jordan (23) 13 on five field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 1-2 free throws, junior Statton Wilson (32) 13 on four field goals (two 3-pointers) plus 3-4 free throws, and senior Ryker Marble (1) 11 on four field goals plus 3-3 free throws. Freshman Joah Brown (22) added two points and sophomore Ryan Rodriguez (30) one.
