The Mingus Union High School boys basketball team won a four-team tournament hosted at Sedona Red Rock High School on Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16.
The majority of summer high school hoops takes place during June and the Marauders’ gym is shut down throughout July for resurfacing. It was the first time the team had played in weeks.
“They did good,” said 2016 Mingus graduate Ashton Loring, who was acting as head coach in Dave Beery’s absence. “I think they played good as a team, with good sportsmanship and it was just a good weekend.”
A number of players were missing as well, but the team finished undefeated. In the championship game it faced off with Red Rock for the second time in as many days.
The halftime score was 33-23 in favor of Mingus, and it led by as many as 12 points after a bucket by sophomore J.D. Caldera. From that point on the Scorpions began to pull closer, scoring seven unanswered.
The hosts got as close as 54-48, but began to miss shots as time started to run out. A few transition layups and putbacks inflated the Marauders’ lead with a minute to spare, and eventually took the game 59-51.
Senior Michael Bryan was named MVP of the tournament and totaled 71 points throughout the weekend.
“He was good all weekend,” Loring said. “He hit big shots when we needed it and was a big help down in the paint.”
Loring also praised incoming freshman Andrew Nahar for his play.
In the semifinals Mingus saw off Ash Fork High School 61-41. On Saturday, July 15, it beat Red Rock 58-41 and also defeated Tuba City High School.
