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D-I boys hoops: No. 21 Deer Valley drops No. 12 Mesa High
Les Willsey Staff Writer, AIA365.com

Feb 20, 2014 - Deer Valley reversed what happened to its boys basketball team last season at the state tournament on Thursday night when it took the long trip from the Northwest Valley to the East Valley as the lower seed.

The Skyhawks and coach Jed Dunn didn't care about the seeding and it showed as Deer Valley pulled away late in the third period and early in the fourth to defeat host Mesa High, 69-62, in a Division I contest at Jackrabbit Gym.

Deer Valley (21-7) advances to Saturday's 7 p.m. quarterfinals at No. 5 Sunnyslope (26-3). Deer Valley bowed to Sunnyslope, 65-45, in a section game last month. Mesa High closed out the 2013-2014 campaign 17-11.

"Last year we were the higher seed (No. 12) playing Buena (No. 21) at home and they came up and beat us," Dunn said. "We came over here to win. That's no disrespect to Mesa. There was a big crowd andI think it works to our guys benefit. They like big crowds and that kind of atmosphere."

Deer Valley led the entire game, although it was tied a couple times. It was a tight contest until late in the third period when the Skyhawks went on a 19-8 run from late in the third period to early in the fourth to boost a 37-34 advantage. Junior forward Rees Plummer, senior guad Deron Kyle and senior guard Jacob Stakemiller teamed up for 18 of those 19 points.

The balanced and versatile lineup Dunn rolls out produced three players in double figures and almost five. Kyle led the way with 19 points, followed by Tyler Watts (16 and Plummer (14). Stakemiller had nine points (all in the fourth period) and 6-foot-8 junior post Edward Hardt, eight, despite foul trouble that saw him sit from the middle of the third period to the middle of the fourth. Hardt and Watts fouled out in the final minutes.

"We have four guys score (average) in double figures this year," Dunn said. "We're used to being in foul trouble. We have guys who move well enough that we can play them inside or outside. That can cause problems for teams."

Plummer, Kyle, Stakemiller and reserve Aaron Meek all connected from three-point range. Mesa made one three through the first three quarters.

Mesa had to play hard to stay close and did, given that Deer Valley had no problem knocking down shots on a foreign floor. Deer Valley shot 60 percent from the field (24-of-40). Plummer, Kyle, Stakemiller and reserve Aaron Meek all connected from three-point range. Mesa made one three through the first three quarters.

"This is a shooter's gym," Dunn said. The backboards are low. You get a good look."

Mesa made a minor run in the final five minutes, cutting a 56-42 deficit to 64-57 with a 1:10 left. That was due to an exceptional fourth quarter from senior guard Christian Harris. Harris tallied 14 of his game-high 24 points in the final quarter. He connected on three 3s and a three-point play. Junior Sumeet Khara added 13 points and senior Felipe Velazco had 11.

GAME 20 - January 20, 2014 - PINNACLE
By Ricahrd Obert - azcentral

Something about the Martin Luther King Basketball Classic that brings the best out of guard Trey Ingram.

He had a huge game in a win over Scottsdale Desert Mountain last year at Arizona State’s Wells Fargo Arena, and, on Monday, he sank the game winner with a second left, giving Phoenix Pinnacle a 60-58 win over Mesa at Grand Canyon University Arena.

“I love this atmosphere,” said Ingram, who finished with 14 points on six of 10 shooting. “I live for these kinds of games.”

It was the third consecutive game in which Pinnacle pulled it out with late dramatics.

Last week, senior guard Dorian Pickens’ late shot beat both Mesa Mountain View and Phoenix Central.

Pinnacle has won five consecutive games since losing six of nine games during the holiday break against tough competition.

Those losses seemed to make the team closer.

“We’re like a big family now,” Ingram said.

Pickens carried Pinnacle in the first half with 20 of his 25 points, but his team trailed by three, as Christian Harris got hot late in the half to give Mesa a 36-33 lead.

Pinnacle started the second half on a 12-0 run without Pickens scoring.

Ingram had a jumper and Rojhae Colbert scored four points in the run.

Mesa allowed the man with the ball to hold it starting the third quarter. Pinnacle became more deliberate and got cold.

Mesa seized it and rallied from a 10-point deficit with Sumeet Khara tying it at 56-56 with 1:36 left with two free throws.

Pickens’ layup with 1:14 left gave Pinnacle a 58-56 lead.

Harris missed an off-balance jumper with 27 seconds left, but Ty Griffin missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Center Isaac Allen followed a miss, and was fouled. He made the two free throws tying it at 58 with 11 seconds to play.

The final play was drawn up for either Pickens or Ingram to take.

“It was kind of pick your poison,” Pinnacle coach Charlie Wilde said.

Ingram pulled up at the corner and calmly knocked down the shot with a second to play.

Pickens intercepted the long inbounds pass, ending the game.
 

GAME 16 - January 7, 2014
By Les Willsey - aia365.com

Gilbert High's battle plan to defeat Mesa High on Tuesday night worked out close to perfect. Mostly via Gilbert's execution and some help and misfortune for Mesa.

A 9-0 run late in the second period sent Gilbert to intermission with a 14-point lead and the Tigers had their way from there in a 58-41 boys basketball triumph at The Jungle.

Gilbert (10-3, 5-0 power-ranking games) shot well in the first half, which boosts any game plan. Gilbert connected on 50 percent of its shots from the field in the first 16 minutes (13-of-26) and sank four threes. Limiting Mesa (11-6, 6-2 prg) to 1-of-10 shooting from the floor in the second period was another plus as were the Xs and Os drawn up prior to the contest by the Tigers' coaching staff.

"Our goal was to limit (Mesa guard Christian) Harris from getting threes and keeping them from speeding us up," Gilbert coach Jay Caserio said. "If we could do that and do a good job containing (Isaac) Allen and (Felipe) Velazco on the boards we felt we had a good chance."

Harris had one of his tougher nights of the season. The 6-foot, senior guard was held scoreless in the first half and didn't dent the scoreboard until four minutes remained in the third period (a three). Harris made one more basket in the quarter. He finished with five points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Drawing the defensive assignment on Harris was Gilbert senior point guard Anthony Bryant. Bryant's defense was stellar and he enjoyed top scoring honors for the game. Bryant was the only player on either team to score in double figures, finishing with 14 points. Bryant scored off his own steals, those from teammates, some via offensive boards and in the third period by nailing a couple 15-foot jumpers.

As for Mesa's 6-10 Allen, he picked up two quick fouls at the 6:28 mark of the first period -- one a personal foul the next a technical. He sat the rest of the quarter as Gilbert built a 17-11 lead. Allen was never really a factor, finishing with five points. Harris and Allen average about 24 points a game between them.

Caserio was also concerned with Mesa guard Kale Abbott, who helps the Jackrabbits force the action in half court. Abbott, however, went down with bruised left knee midway through the second period and didn't return. Velazco, a 6-6 senior and solid contributor to the program the past three years for coach Shane Burcar, seemed the most active Jackrabbit in this one. Velazco led Mesa with eight points. Six came in the opening half. Gilbert led by 19 after three quarters and by as much as 24 in the final stanza.

"We didn't do well in our last game with Jefferson (at VisitMesa.com)," Caserio said. "They speeded us up and we had 24 turnovers. We limited those tonight and even the ones we had were out of bounds giving us a chance to set up defensively."

Gilbert had nine players score. Helping Bryant out offensively were fellow starters Eric Mosley (nine points), Truman Moore (eight) and Wyatt Lowell (six) -- two first-half threes.

Andres Gurrola led the Jackrabbits with 14 points, followed by Christian Harris’ 12 points. Darius Goudeau had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Isaac Allen had 11 points and nine rebounds. Felipe Velazco added 10 points and eight rebounds for Mesa.