The Yavapai-Apache Nation Men’s Recreational Basketball League is the Warriors’ to lose.
But after a third-place finish two summers ago, then taking runner-up last season, Cottonwood Auto Sales head coach Curtis Effertz figures this August belongs to his team.
Effertz fully expects to be 16-6 and in contention for the top seed in the Yavapai-Apache Nation Men’s Recreational Basketball League after a 110-54 win July 27.
“We should win it,” Effertz said. “There’s only three teams that are really in competition with us.
“We beat everybody except one [team].”
That would be the Warriors, coached by former Sedona Red Rock High School assistant boys basketball coach Michael Sells, a long-time player in the men’s league, which has been playing three basketball games every Monday and Wednesday evening at the Middle Verde Recreation Center since March 7.
“We’ve lost to them [by] five points both times,” Effertz said. “We should end up being one of the top two teams.”
Recent Mingus Union High School graduate Ashton Loring — a first-team all-section guard on the Marauders’ Elite Eight squad from February — saved the Warriors from losing their first of two games against Effertz’s team May 4.
“He’s the one that bailed them out,” Effertz said. “We were up by seven with two minutes left, and he hit some beyond-NBA threes.”
Loring’s clutch shooting from 25 feet out on the perimeter saved the Warriors from the embarrassment of having blown a 20-2 lead to open the contest, Effertz added.
“We were missing two of our main guys,” he said. “We played probably the worst game of our season.”
Effertz knows that such variables as who shows up and which referees work their games will play a part.
“I’ve had plenty of games where we’ve only had five [players],” he said.
Those players come from not only Cottonwood and Sedona but Camp Verde — to play on teams such as the Defenders, Fighting Amish and Splash Bros — and even Flagstaff, Effertz added.
The league concludes its regular season Thursday, Aug. 18, following two weeks of make-up games.
“We have a lot of make-up games due to games getting canceled,” said Jacob Lewis, a player in the league and Parks and Recreation assistant. “The last make-up game is [Thursday], Aug. 18.”
Lewis’ team and the other 11 teams will then face off in a single-elimination tournament beginning Monday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. First-round action will continue with games at 7 and 8 p.m. through Wednesday, Aug. 24, with the league championship to be decided at the end of the month.
For more information, call the Nation’s recreation office at 567-1024, or visit 2400 W. Datsi Street in Middle Verde.
