Camp Verde High School’s 69-38 Verde Valley rivalry home game loss to Sedona Red Rock High School on Jan. 10 was very much a tale of two halves, at least from a defensive standpoint.
Having given up 23 points by halftime, the Cowboys [5-14, 0-2] absorbed the Scorpions’ pressure defense and defended well, but their shooting woes continued to be their downfall.
“I thought we broke pressure pretty decent. I think shot selection was good, they just weren’t falling tonight,” Camp Verde senior forward Ryan Cain said. “We had a lot of good shots.”
Cain also pointed out that a lot of shots were from the outside, and the team would convert more if they drove
to the hoop more.
The Cowboys turned the ball over three times, giving up four points, in the first quarter but defended well enough to be down only 11-6.
Offensively, they made none of their five three-pointers. In the second quarter, Camp Verde gave up 12 points but again managed only six, and had just one turnover, trailing 23-12.
“What I was so pleased with was our defensive effort, especially in the first half,” Cowboys head coach Dan Wall said. “Our guys were in their stances, we’re talking, we’re being physical off the ball, I mean we just played our tails off.”
The tide turned in the third quarter. The Scorpions converted a three-point play and went on a 7-0 scoring run, four from turnovers, to open a 32-12 lead.
They totaled nine points off turnovers in the quarter.
“We certainly didn’t handle the pressure as well in the second half,” Wall said. “They got a little momentum going so now they’re a little more confident on the offensive end.”
Camp Verde did score 18 points, but 26 from Red Rock kept it at an arm’s length throughout.
“I think we could do better, though, knocking down our shots,” Camp Verde senior forward Aaron Tracy said. “Going a little slower on the offensive end and just get better shots.”
The fourth quarter saw the Scorpions score 20 more points to the Cowboys’ eight. The majority of Red Rock’s second-half offensive output came from dribble penetration.
“That’s when we’re most effective defensively, we take it away, that was one the five keys to the game, it was number one, was contain their dribble penetration,” Wall said.
All told, the Cowboys shot six for 18 from the paint and three for 22 from behind the arc.
“We didn’t execute well tonight, but they played so hard,” Wall said. “And they always play hard for games like this.”
Cain said if the team can put away more shots, the teams’ next matchup should be a better one.
“It’s fun battling back and forth so I look forward to the next one, it’s always a good time,” Cain said. “We just got to get them to fall. Once they fall, we’ll be in right in that game.”
Tracy led the Cowboys with 11 points while senior forward Ryan Loza had nine and
senior forward Reyes Herrera seven.
Camp Verde played against Paradise Honors High School on Jan. 13, winning 51-47 before losing 52-50 at home to Arizona Charter Academy on Jan. 14 in a nonleague game. On Jan. 17 they played a section game at Northland Preparatory Academy, but results were not available at press time.
The Cowboys next play Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m., at home against Chino Valley High School.
Between the girls and boys game on Jan. 19, there will be a dedication ceremony for the changing of the gymnasium’s name to “Dr. Mark J. Westervelt Gymnasium.”
