The Mingus Union High School boys basketball team was unable to get anything going offensively Friday, Dec. 17, and lost to cross-valley rival Camp Verde High School, 51-35.
Mingus committed 18 turnovers and shot a dismal 26 percent from the field Friday, causing major concern for third-year Head Coach Scott Sanderlin.
“Our defense was OK but offensively we’re struggling,” Sanderlin said after the loss Friday. “We played sloppy basketball and we just weren’t aggressive; we didn’t attack the basket like we should.”
Friday night’s loss to the Cowboys was the third consecutive loss for Mingus, which is now 1-6 [0-0, 4A-II Grand Canyon] overall this season.
More importantly, the Marauders are 0-4 in Arizona Interscholastic Association power point play this season, something Sanderlin hopes to turn around soon.
In the 4A-II conference power point standings which were released Tuesday, Dec. 21, Mingus is ranked dead last at No. 34.
The Marauders’ shooting was the biggest concern for Sanderlin on Friday, with his team hitting only five field goals in the first three quarters of play.
Camp Verde led 28-13 at halftime and extended its lead to 41-19 after three periods. Mingus hit six shots in the fourth period alone, one more than the first three quarters and finished 11 for 43 on the night.
No player scored in double figures for the Marauders against Camp Verde. Daniel Martinez led Mingus with eight points to go along with his three rebounds.
Four players had four points each in Eric Quesada, Carlos Montiel, Carson Sandoval and Jose Gonzalez.
“The way we are playing right now just doesn’t work. Hopefully we can turn things around this coming week,” Sanderlin said.
Mingus is scheduled to travel south to Tucson on Monday, Dec. 27, to participate in the Northwest Desert Classic at Mountain View Marana High School.
The Marauders will open with Arizona Lutheran Academy on Monday but will also play Flowing Wells and Cienega high schools in pool play before heading to bracket play.
The Northwest Desert Classic is scheduled to run through Thursday, Dec. 30.
If Sanderlin and his team are to “figure” things out as he put it, the Marauders will still have a tough task ahead of them as they travel to top ranked Arcadia High School after Christmas break Thursday, Jan. 6.
After Arcadia, Mingus returns home to play rival Flagstaff High School on Friday, Jan. 7. The Eagles were the preseason favorite to win the 4A-II Grand Canyon region.
Both games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
