To the casual observer, a 50-19 loss would seem like a poor performance on the losing team’s part. Such was not the case for the young Camp Verde High School girls basketball team.
The truth is that the Cowboys [13-6, 2-1] were tasked with facing off with an undefeated and more experienced Sedona Red Rock High School team.
Despite the score, Camp Verde head coach Mark Showers was proud of his team, and satisfied with its opportunity to gain experience against one of the better teams in Division 2A.
“This is a bunch of young kids going against a veteran team that is arguably the best team in [Division] 2A, and it was just great for our kids to play against them,” Showers said. “No matter what the difference was in the point total, it is very, very good for our kids to play against Sedona, especially with the pressure they put on. It’s going to make our kids much, much better.”
The Cowboys actually led 2-0 off of a pair of free throws from senior guard Raiven Alvey, and trailed
only 7-4 in the early going.
Red Rock’s pressure and pace did eventually break down Camp Verde, and the Scorpions ran out to a
17-8 lead after the first.
The teams exchanged scoring runs during the second, and at halftime the Cowboys trailed 30-14, with 15 turnovers creating 15 points for the visitors.
After the Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shoot-Out on Dec. 30, Showers wanted his team to improve its ballhandling skills, and against the Scorpions’ different defenses, showed progress in that regard.
“We’ve gotten better every game, we just get better,” freshman guard Tanna Decker said. “Our ballhandling has definitely gotten better, we’re just running drills and practicing a lot more.”
In the second half the Cowboys showed patience with the ball, but as a team that looks to get the ball inside as well as shoot from distance, they struggled.
In the second half they shot two for 21 from the field, but Showers did not fault his team for it.
“What you learn as a basketball player is sometimes those things happen,” Showers said.
The fourth quarter went to the substitutes, and the score went 4-0 for the Scorpions.
After the game, Camp Verde senior forward Marisa Presmyk was happy with the team’s attitude throughout, especially after a second-quarter knee injury to sophomore guard Hope Ontiveros.
“I think we did good for losing Hope, and that was a disadvantage,” Presmyk said. “But other than that I think we did good playing together, we tried hard and that’s what matters.”
Considering his team’s youth, Showers is excited for the future of the team.
“I have five, six freshmen that are playing regular minutes on varsity and they’re learning every day, and that’s what we want them to do,” Showers said. “Obviously we want to get into playoffs this year but for them its the future …. I’m excited. This team’s working hard, these young kids are getting better and as long as they continue to get better, good things are going to happen.”
The extent of Ontiveros’ injury is still unknown.
Decker led with eight points and senior forward Kayla Hackett had seven.
The Cowboys returned to 2A Central Section play against Paradise Honors High School on Jan. 13, coming away 48-30 victors, and also traveled to Northland Preparatory Academy on Jan. 17, but results were unavailable at press time.
They next play Thursday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m., in their second matchup with Chino Valley High School. They won the first, 40-30, on Dec. 13.
