WEDNESDAY PHOTOS

Cienega took an early 12-6 lead over Ironwood Ridge in the second game of the NW Desert Classic played at Canyon del Oro but back-to-back 3-pointers from Alyssa Madlangbayan and Paige Moffett tied it up in final moments of the first quarter.

Ironwood Ridge went on to build a 24-15 lead in the second quarter but Cienega held the Nighthawks scoreless over the last two minutes and cut the lead down to 24-19 at the half.

Cienega (7-4) is always a constant contender and Ironwood Ridge (7-5) has shown some highs and lows this year with some big wins and some unexpected losses so a win over Cienega might turn the Nighthawks in the right direction.

A quick 3-pointer from Piper Mali put Ironwood Ridge up 27-19 to start the second half but Brooke Burnett returned the favor on the other end and Cienega pulled within three points by the end of the third to make things close at 31-28.

Jade Scott pulled Cienega to within one point and then Destiney Richardson put Cienega up 32-31 with 6:45 left in the game.

The teams went back and forth until Ironwood Ridge senior Meaghan Coffield tied things up at 37-37 with 2:43 left. That’s when the smallest girl in the tournament showed everybody just how big her heart was.

At only 4-foot-9, Alysa Johnson looks more like a ball girl than a player but she scored back-to-back layups and then hit a free throw to give Ironwood Ridge a 42-37 lead with 57.3 seconds left.

“A lot of people think I’m just in middle school,” said Johnson. “But coach (Nikki Simpson) gave me a shot. I wasn’t expecting much playing time because of my height but I worked hard and stayed focused.”

Johnson says she learned pretty quickly when to shoot and when not to due to her size but scoring two layups in the final moments should serve as an example for her teammates in future games.

“I’m excited about this game and I think it can be a turning point for us,” Johnson added.

Johnson stole the ball with 23.2 seconds left but Cienega got it back and Richardson scored to make it 42-39 with 13.3 seconds left.

Mali Made a free throw to make it 43-39 with 8.8 seconds left and it turned out to be the winning point because Sebrina Hartzel hit a 3-pointer with a couple of seconds left to make it 43-42 but Ironwood Ridge didn’t have to touch the ball again and the clock ran out.

Cienega was led by Scott with 15 points, Richardson added 10 and Arianna Roche put in 7 points. Moffett scored 11 to lead Ironwood Ridge, Mali had 8 and Johnson added 7.

The Canyon del Oro boys battled Marana in the next game and the Dorados slowly built a 22-17 lead with 6:30 left in the second quarter but the starters were pulled from the game and Marana took full advantage.

In a blur, the Tigers took a 30-24 lead with 48.3 seconds remaining and sophomore Ryan Swan hit a 3-pointer to give Marana a 33-24 lead at the half.

The 16 to 2 run showcased the talents of Swan, Ernest Jones and Ajay Robertson. Swan has grown at least 10 inches in one year and displayed guard-like skills despite his 6-foot-4 frame. His mother, Diane Swan, reports that Ryan is expected to grow a few more inches this year.

His sister is 6-foot-2 Colorado freshman Jamee Swan. Jamee has played in all 10 games for Colorado and started one as a true freshman, averaging 4.5 points and 3.5 rebound per game.

It is understandable why her brother Ryan is already on the recruiting radar. If he reaches his 6-foot-8 potential by his junior year then he will be a force.

Canyon del Oro went on a 16-10 run in the third period thanks to the play of John Jackson and Ty Ochse but they were still down 43-40 entering the final period.

Jackson scored to cut the lead to 43-42 and then Nico Hughes hit a 3-pointer to complete the comeback and put the Dorados up 45-43 with 4:06 left in the game.

Ochse scored again and the run became 23-10. Jackson fouled out with 1:25 left in the game but Hughes sank four free throws down the stretch to help CDO take the game 56-49.

Jackson and Hughes scored a game-high 19 points each and Ochse scored 14 for CDO. Swan and Robertson scored 16 each and Jones added 13 for Marana.

The CDO girls went up against Seton Catholic in the final game of the day and Seton sprinted out to a 9-0 lead before the Dorados were able to recover and cut the lead down to 12-8 at the end of the first period.

Seton built the lead back up to 23-12 with 4:18 left in the half but they would not score again and CDO cut the lead back down to 23-17 at the half. Brittany West hit a 3-pointer to make it 20-23 and Alicia Vallejos scored moments later to make it 24-22 but Seton pulled away the rest of the way for the 52-32 win

Susan Spinner poured in 21 points for Seton including 11 straight points to bridge the third and fourth periods and Vallejos scored 12 to lead CDO.

The Buena boys beat Sabino 46-41 earlier at CDO with Deonte Williams scoring 17 for Buena and Matt Bushman scoring 12 for Sabino and Kevin O’Brien adding 10. Roderick Springer added 10 points for Buena.

The Classic got started Wednesday morning at Pusch Ridge with Cholla beating Sahuarita 67-32 behind 12 points from Julio Duarte and Julio Valdez. Nikko Martinez scored 13 for Sahuarita.

Sunnyside took care of Marana 80-35 with Swan scoring 14 for Marana and Jacob Incian scoring 15 for Sunnyside. Pedro Muniz added 13 and Raul Castro had 12.

The Desert Christian boys took on Pueblo in the next game and the Eagles pulled out a 65-42 win with Michael Slew scoring 15 points to led Desert Christian. Ryan Barents added 10 and Ben Brandon scored 9.

Pueblo standout Robert Medrano led all scorers with 24 points. The junior scored Pueblo’s first 11 points.

The Sahuarita boys took a 14-2 lead over Pusch Ridge in the next game and then poured it on the go up 25-8 with 2:21 left in the first half. Zachary Alexander hit back-to-back shots to make it 33-29 Sahuarita with 2:01 left in the third period but Sahuarita would go on a huge 17-4 run to make it 0-33 with 2:37 left in the game.

Pusch Ridge scored eight points in the final minute but there wasn’t enough time for a comeback and Sahuarita held on for a 57-51 win.

Martinez scored 21 and Marcus Esquivel and Daniel Black scored 12 each for Sahuarita. Alexander and Joel Johnson led Pusch Ridge with nine points each.

Cholla beat Pusch Ridge 68-44 with Duarte scoring 28 points to lead Cholla. Ben Walker had 11 for Pusch Ridge.

The Pusch Ridge girls took care of Sahuarita 52-20 behind 26 points from Gabby Courtney and 15 from Moriah Roters. Danielle Teso scored 16 points for Sahuarita.

Northwest Desert Classic

CDO & PRCA: December 26-29

BOYS

Wednesday, December 26
Cholla 67, Sahuarita 32
Sunnyside 80, Marana 35
Desert Christian 65, Pueblo 42
Buena 46, Sabino 41
Sahuarita 57, Pusch Ridge 51
Canyon del Oro 56, Marana 49
Cholla 68, Pusch Ridge 44

Thursday, December 27
11:40 am: Buena vs Cholla (CDO)
1:20 pm: Marana vs Pueblo (CDO)
3 pm: CDO vs Desert Christian (CDO)
4:40 pm: Buena vs Sahuarita (CDO)
6:20 pm: PRCA vs Sabino (PRCA)
8 pm: CDO vs Sunnyside (CDO)

Friday, December 28
11:40 am: Sabino vs Sahuarita (CDO)
11:40 am: Desert Christian vs Marana (PRCA)
1:20 pm: Sunnyside vs Pueblo (CDO)
4:40 pm: Cholla vs Sabino (CDO)
6:20 pm: CDO vs Pueblo (CDO)
8 pm: Sunnyside vs Desert Christian (CDO)
8 pm: PRCA vs Buena (PRCA)

GIRLS

Wednesday, December 26
Ironwood Ridge 43, Cienega 42
Desert Vista 64, Desert Ridge 27
PRCA 52, Sahuarita 20
Seaton Catholic 52, CDO 32

Thursday, December 27
10 am: Cienega vs Desert Vista (CDO)
10 am: Ironwood Ridge vs Desert Ridge (PRCA)
11:40 am: Seaton Catholic vs Sahuarita (PRCA)
1:20 pm: PRCA vs CDO (PRCA)
3 pm: Ironwood Ridge vs Desert Vista (PRCA)
4:40 pm: Cienega vs Desert Ridge (PRCA)
6:20 pm: CDO vs Sahuarita (CDO)
8 pm: PRCA vs Seaton Catholic (PRCA)

Flowing Wells Girls Shootout

December 27-28

Thursday, December 27
9 am: Tucson vs Catalina
9 am: Sunnyside vs Desert Christian
10:30 am: Casa Grande vs Rio Rico
10:30 am: Flowing Wells vs Palo Verde
Noon: Catalina vs Vista Grande
Noon: Desert Christian vs Deming
1:30 pm: Sahuaro vs Casa Grande
1:30 pm: Nogales vs Flowing Wells
3 pm: Vista Grande vs Tucson
3 pm: Deming vs Sunnyside
4:30 pm: Rio Rico vs Sahuaro
4:30 pm: Palo Verde vs Nogales

Friday, December 28
9 am-4:30 pm Bracket play

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