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QUEEN CREEK
Boys’ Basketball – For the second time this season the Bulldogs have won three-straight games after defeating Alhambra, Williams Field, and Mesquite last week. Now at the .500 mark (9 – 9), their best so far this season, the Bulldogs had a chance earlier this week, against Westwood, to extend their winning streak to a season-best four games.
Senior Malik Cobbins scored a game-high 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in last Monday’s 52 – 32 victory at Alhambra. Zane Whiting, a senior, contributed with eight points and seven rebounds while junior Kade Parks added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds. Connor Morris, another junior, finished with nine points after shooting 3-for-5 from the three-point arc.
After Tuesday’s game at Westwood the Bulldogs return home to take on rival and top-ranked Higley. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball – The Lady Bulldogs dropped games to rival Williams Field and No. 11-ranked Maricopa last week.
Jayden Kartchner once again led Queen Creek in its 61 – 37 loss to Williams Field last Wednesday, scoring a team-high 14 points and pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. She also recorded four steals. Sophomore Torri Gillespie added eight points in defeat.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 19 vs. Westwood, Jan. 22 at Skyline, and Jan. 26 vs. McClintock. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
SAN TAN FOOTHILLS
Boys’ Basketball – The Sabercats lost both games last week – to Benjamin Franklin and Miami – and now have lost six games in-a-row. Their last win came against Odyssey Institute on Dec. 15, 62 – 41.
The issues the Cats are currently dealing with have been well documented, but the youngsters playing at the varsity level – many for the first time – have no choice but to go out and put out their best effort while gaining valuable experience that will pay dividends down the road.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 19 at Ray, Jan. 22 at Duncan, and Jan. 26 vs. San Carlos. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball – The Lady Sabercats picked up their first sectional win last Thursday after defeating Gilbert Classical Academy, 39 – 21. The victory also ended a season-worst eight-game losing streak.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 19 vs. Ray (4 p.m.), Jan. 22 at Duncan (5:30 p.m.), and Jan. 25 vs. Santa Cruz Valley (7 p.m.).
POSTON BUTTE
Girls’ Basketball – The Lady Broncos suffered consecutive losses last week at Desert Ridge and home against second-ranked Valley Christian.
With only seven games remaining in the regular season, Poston Butte will need to get hot to reach the playoffs.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 19 vs. Payson, Jan. 21 at Tempe, and Jan. 26 vs. Show Low. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
COMBS
Boys’ Basketball – Losses to second-ranked Estrella Foothills and top-ranked Scottsdale Christian sandwiched the Coyotes’ 84 – 32 win against Veritas Prep last week.
The Yotes, whose opportunity to make a third-straight playoff appearance is dwindling, has little room for error in their final six games of the season. Last Wednesday’s victory provided a glimpse of what Yotes are capable of and they’ll need to show it down the stretch.
Senior Andrew Craven recorded a double-double – 17 points, 10 rebounds – and was one of four Coyotes to score in double figures against the winless Falcons. In addition to his double-double, Craven finished with four assists, three steals, and a block. He was named Player of the Game for his efforts
Justice Davis (16), Clayten McCarthy (12), and Skylar Johnson (19) were the other Yotes to reach double-digit scoring.
Johnson, a junior, also posted a double-double, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds to go along with his game-high 19 points. He also had three assists and three steals in the win.
Junior guard Josh Allen led the Coyotes with seven assists.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 19 vs. Valley Christian, Jan. 22 at Poston Butte, and Jan 26 at Payson. All games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Girls’ Basketball – After a one-point overtime loss to Division III Estrella Foothills last Tuesday, the 10th-ranked Lady Coyotes rebounded with a lopsided 38 – 22 victory at Benjamin Franklin last Friday.
Landry Armstrong (11), Cydnee Colpaert (17), and Ilaria Vesely (10) all scored in double figures in the loss to Estrella Foothills, which is ranked No. 15 in Division III.
Vesely recorded a double-double after grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds to go with her 10 points.
The Lady Yotes had 16 steals in the game, led by Colpaert’s six.
Three of Lady Yotes’ final seven games are against teams that would currently make the state playoffs. The first of those three games is versus Gilbert Christian on Wednesday. The Knights are No. 3 in the most recent AIA rankings.
Upcoming schedule: Jan. 20 vs. Gilbert Christian, Jan. 22 at Globe, and Jan. 26 at Payson (6 p.m.). All games are scheduled for 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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