Cottonwood Middle School began its boys basketball season the same day the season ended for its girls basketball team, as both teams suffered tournament losses to end Dec. 12.
Head girls coach Mike Gilboy saw a two-year undefeated streak end in the Quad City League tournament championship, while a new era began for new head boys coaches Travis Adcock and Brandon Figy at the Clarkdale Christmas Invitational.
After 24 games and a 2014 Quad City League championship, Gilboy’s A team had its first loss in two years, falling two points short Dec. 12 of defending that title on a cold, snowy day at host Mile High Middle School in Prescott.
“We just did not shoot as well as we normally do,” he said. “We had our shots, but they didn’t fall. You have nights like that.”
In 10 straight previous meetings, the Lobos had defeated Mile High, which split into Red and White teams a season ago, including a 28-9 Lobos win over the White team in the semifinals. Up to the tournament, the Lobos had averaged 35 to 40 points all season, Gilboy said, and had “won rather handily” over Glassford Hill Middle School, 30-12, in the first round.
“We basically had one play — 90 percent of the time, it worked,” he said. “The off-side guard came off a pick, and she either shot or dumped it down low. Most of what we score[d] [were] layups.
“It was more desire that got it done. We were an absolute defensive team.”
More specifically, a swarming, full-court pressing defense accomplished by 10 Lobos players who would all fill up the scorebook via turnovers.
“They really bought into the whole idea that if we were going to win, we were going to have to play defense,” he said. “Our whole goal was to get somebody to pick up the dribble. Get them to try to throw it long. Then we’d throw a diamond trap on two sides all the time.”
All 10 players would also play within the first 10 minutes of every game even though none of them were taller than 5 feet, 7 inches.
Denise Ulibarri was that tallest player, “pure desire underneath,” Gilboy said, starting alongside Stevie Wolf on the front line and backed up by Natalie Urias and Dani Galloway, an A team player since her sixth-grade year last season.
“They were smaller than anyone I had, and they still came out with most of the rebounds,” he said. “We really didn’t have a center, but my center would get the rebound, take off and lead the [fast] break.”
Normally, that job fell to point guard Tyra Archuleta Gabaldon, backed up by seventh-grader Yasmine Maestas.
Off the ball, guard Haley Kelly would complement Sabrina Earl, “a combo forward who was more of a traditional guard,” Gilboy said. “She just couldn’t play down low.”
Their backups, Lola Martinez and Jasmine Schultz, filled the scorebook with their eight teammates in 24 straight wins mostly by runaway scores, with the exception of a Nov. 17 home win over Heritage Middle School in which the Lobos had to outscore the Chino Valley school 8-0 in overtime.
Next season, Galloway and Maestas will join taller but younger B team players in more of a half-court game.
“You can draw stuff up on the fly, though, and they could just do it. They were a very coachable, fun group; I just wish the season was longer.”
Replacing former head coach Scott Sanderlin, who took over the reins of the Mingus Union High School junior varsity, is his former assistant, Adcock, who will take over the eighth graders this season.
“My main focus is on the fundamentals,” Adcock said. “Being able to make free throws, have a good motion offense, play good defense, teach good character, stuff like that is what will win you games at this age.”
About three-quarters of last year’s team returns, as 6-foot, 1-inch Jackson Shilling will start at center as the lone six-footer on the roster, joining J.D. Caldera at point guard, Steven Earl at shooting guard and Peter Calandra and Claye Griffin at forwards in the starting lineup for Adcock’s team, which fell to 1-2 after a 48-34 loss to the Beaver Creek School in Clarkdale on Dec. 12.
They are backed up by Brandon Cordio, Nick Dumford, Patrick Griffiths, Isaiah Hillman, Juanio Martinez, Abdael Mora, Luke Razo, and Ben Wilson, all of whom made final cut.
“I had 25 come out for the B team,” said Brandon Figy, who will flip roles with Adcock next season when Figy’s son, Zack, will be on the roster. “So I had to make some cuts. I have four sixth-graders and 13 players on the roster.”
These also include Elias Copello, Dante Gabaldon, Connor Goff, Zach Harrison, Chez Jurecki, Ray Kaehler, Austin Kunze, Zach Lainhart, Ryan Lindsay, Devin Rodriguez, Jonathan Sanchez and Austin Volk.
Dmitri Zagar will assist Adcock, while Adam Gabaldon will be the assistant coach under Figy.
“Last year, we had a couple of ineligible sixth-graders,” Figy said. “This year, they’ve all made the grade.”
For the full Cottonwood Middle School boys basketball schedule , please see the Wednesday, Dec. 30, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
