Despite creating numerous scoring chances inside and improved defense, the Camp Verde High School boys basketball team fell to visiting Tonopah Valley High School 46-35 on Dec. 16.
The third quarter proved to be detrimental, as the Phoenix forced eight turnovers and went on a 10-0 scoring run.
The Cowboys, who fell to 2-11 on the season, held a Phoenix team that averages 53 points per game to 46, but shot 10 for 32 from inside the paint.
“Tonight wasn’t our night, but if we keep playing defense like we do, shots are going to go down and were going to come out with a win here soon,” Cowboy senior guard Ryan Cain said.
The first quarter would set the tone for the game offensively with only nine total points scored. Neither team could make a basket, and the Phoenix finally broke the ice with 4:21 remaining by way of a bucket from sophomore guard Angelo Anderson.
Tonopah Valley led 5-4 after the first quarter.
“Overall we executed what we wanted to do defensively, we made them take some tough challenged jumpers,” Camp Verde head coach Dan Wall said. “From our side we executed decently and I wasn’t disappointed with any of the looks we got in the first quarter.”
In the second, Camp Verde’s shooting improved, as the Cowboys went five for 10 with one three-pointer, to open an 18-13 lead.
But with one minute left they opened the door for the Phoenix, committing three turnovers that allowed the lead to shrink to one at halftime, 18-17.
Coming out of the break, Tonopah Valley continued to put the pressure on Camp Verde. It forced eight Cowboy turnovers, who began to rush offensively in the face of the Phoenix pressure.
“We’re struggling right now because we let teams get momentum, and it’s hard to come back from that.” Camp Verde freshman guard Abe Gonzalez said. “So we just need to stay calm, run our offense and get shots.”
Of the wide-open chances the Cowboys had, they still struggled to put them away. Two layup opportunities led to rebounds and transition points for the Phoenix in the third.
Midway through the frame Camp Verde broke the scoring streak, but managed only five points.
The fourth quarter saw improved shooting and consistent defense from the Cowboys, but it was too little too late.
“I think it was a mental switch in the third quarter, we were just kind of off mentally, no one was really into it,” Cain said. “[In the fourth] we started pressing, I think we got some steals that helped us out and we started shooting better after that.”
In the final frame, Camp Verde significantly cut down on its turnovers, but shot five for 18, including only one for eight from three-point range.
“Overall we held them to 46,” Wall said. “You hold a team to 46 you should give yourself a chance in high school basketball to win the game, so I told the kids overall I was pretty pleased with our effort defensively.”
Both Gonzalez and Cain believed that their team needs to stay its course on defense and the offense will come from that.
“Steals, defense; that creates energy, which creates points,” Cain said. “We had energy but we just couldn’t really finish well tonight.”
Cain led the Cowboys with nine points while Anderson led Tonopah Valley with 15.
Camp Verde returns to the floor when it hosts the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 29, and Friday, Dec. 30.
