Roundup: Mountain View boys defeat Amphi in double OT
by Ken Brazzle on Dec. 30, 2008, under Special, SportsThe season is a learning process for the Mountain View High School boys basketball team, and the Mountain Lions appear to be improving.
Mountain View beat Amphi 68-61 in double overtime Monday to advance to the title game of its Northwest Desert Classic against Sabino or Flowing Wells at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Lions trailed 50-42 in the fourth quarter. Aaron Anderson tied the score at 52 with 20 seconds remaining, converting 1 of 2 free throws.
“They had been losing and they let that old feeling come back in,” said Mountain View assistant coach Mike Dyer. “Then we realized we could win with very good defense and we did the things offensively.
“We still make too many mistakes offensively. Fortunately, we were able to do the things defensively to make up for them.”
Dyer has taken over the coaching duties for head coach Mike Parillo, who is sidelined with a neck injury.
Mountain View displayed balance with four players in double figures: Anderson (14), Chris Olson (13), Scott Volpe (11) and Josh Goshen (10).
“We just wanted it more than the other team,” said Volpe, who scored three of his team’s six points in the first overtime. “We didn’t want to lose.”
Lester Medford had 24 points and Chris Johnson 12 for Amphi.
Titans reach quarterfinals
A late run helped the Palo Verde High girls basketball team end a seesaw battle against Deming (N.M) and move into the quarterfinals of the Flowing Wells Holiday Shoot Out.
Cindy Miranda scored five straight points to put the Titans ahead in the fourth quarter as they won 50-47 at the Flowing Wells gym.
Deming’s Lisa Uzueta, who had a game-high 28 points, hit two free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 48-47 with 15 seconds left. But Palo Verde sank two free throws to seal it.
“It was a really close game,” said Miranda, who finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers. “I was really pumped.”
Miranda hit a trey with 3:20 left to give Palo Verde a 46-45 lead, then followed up with a layup – part of a 17-8 run that helped the Titans erase their largest deficit (39-33).
“We pulled it off as a team,” Miranda said. “We can be very quick at times, but we can slow it down and that throws teams off.”
Amber Cordova added 13 points and sank a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter.
Deming’s physical style kept the game close. “It might not have been pretty, but it’s definitely a learning opportunity for us,” said Palo Verde coach Eric Brock.
– ASH FRIEDERICH contributed
For more on high school sports, check out the Grammer School sports blog.
