Photo: Uriah Tenette slams one down on senior night versus Mingus
Playoff basketball is here and for the first time both the Prescott boys and girls basketball teams have reached the AIA Open Division playoffs.
The Prescott Badgers boys team has all the makings of being able to make a deep run in the playoffs as the senior seasons of Uriah Tenette and Zane Gaul come to an end.
Tenette sits at the top of all scorers in the state with a 28 point average. Gaul has had a very impressive 18 double-doubles, (points and rebounds) in 25 games, and just signed this past week to play college ball next year at Hawaii-Pacific.
The #16 Badgers get a rematch of their first round Open Division game last year as they play #17 Brophy again. The difference is that the Broncos get to travel here.
The Brophy College Prep Broncos (14-10) overall, finished at (4-4) in the 6A Central Region, good enough for third place. The Broncos will come into this game on a two game losing streak with losses to #6 Sunnyslope 55-43, and to #2 Millennium 56-45.
The Badgers (20-5) are riding a 15 game winning streak and won the Grand Canyon Region dominating all ten region contests.
Prescott is looking for their first Open Division win. The Badgers fell at Brophy Prep last year 74-61, and at Sunnyslope the previous year 63-38.
The winner this year will most likely get to play at #1 Perry. The loser will fall back into their division playoffs.
All first round games on Wednesday at 7 pm.
BOYS OPEN DIVISION-First Round
#32 Dysart (21-4) at #1 Perry (22-2)
#17 Brophy Prep (14-10) at #16 Prescott (20-5)
#24 Cactus Shadows (18-6) at #9 Highland (16-9)
#25 Casteel (15-10) at #8 Ironwood (19-6)
#28 Central (24-2) at #5 Sandra Day O’Connor (17-8)
#21 Mountain Pointe (18-6) at #12 Higley (19-6)
#20 Deer Valley (21-4) at #13 Sahuaro (21-3)
#29 ALA-Gilbert North (19-6) at #4 Basha (18-7)
#30 Catalina Foothills (19-5) at #3 Millennium (17-7)
#19 Tucson (16-8) at #14 Canyon View (22-1)
#22 Hamilton (12-9) at #11 Willow Canyon (22-3)
#27 Salpointe Catholic (14-9) at #6 Notre Dame Prep (22-3)
#26 Red Mountain (20-5) at #7 Boulder Creek (20-5)
#23 Williams Field (16-8) at #10 Liberty (16-9)
#18 St. Mary’s (13-11) at #15 West Point (20-3)
#31 Campo Verde (14-11) at #2 Sunnyslope (17-8)
The Bradshaw Mountain Bears (17-11) will travel to face region foe Coconino Panthers (17-7) on Friday in the Division 4A play-in game. The winner will move onto play in the 16 team 4A Division Tournament.
The Panthers swept the Bears during the regular season 63-60 and 49-46.
The #30 Lady Badgers have had a tremendous season thus far with a (21-6) record, and will get to play one of the Arizona’s best when they travel to face the #3 Gilbert Lady Tigers (20-6).
Prescott finished in second place behind Flagstaff in the Grand Canyon Region for the second consecutive year.
Gilbert has won 13 straight and won the Fiesta 6A Region going (10-0).They have not lost at home this season. The Lady Tigers last loss came on December 21 in a tournament game versus San Diego Lincoln.
Prescott has been led by two juniors in Addie Prisciandaro and Bella Abt. Prisciandaro leads the 4A Division with 69 three point baskets and is averaging 19.3 points. Abt is averaging 16.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, and has been a big force inside while recording 12 double-doubles on the season.
Despite how the game turns out, the loser will get bounced back to their division playoffs.
All first round games are on Tuesday at 7 pm.
GIRLS OPEN DIVISION –First Round
#32 Cactus Shadows (19-8) at #1 Salpointe Catholic (24-4)
#17 Sunnyside (25-2) at #16 Pueblo (22-4)
#24 Notre Dame Prep (15-11) at #9 Valley Vista (18-7)
#25 Flagstaff (22-6) at #8 Kellis (24-2)
#28 Horizon (17-9) at #5 Pinnacle (21-5)
#21 Mica Mountain (20-7) at #12 Catalina Foothills (20-5)
#20 Estrella Foothills (30-3) at #13 Canyon View (19-5)
#29 Flowing Wells (19-7) at #4 Mesquite (25-1)
#30 Prescott (21-6) at #3 Gilbert (20-6)
#19 Perry (14-11) at #14 Desert Vista (13-12)
#22 Mesa (16-10) at #11 Hamilton (15-11)
#27 Paradise Honors (22-4) at #6 Sunnyslope (17-9)
#26 Eastmark (19-2) at #7 Xavier Prep (18-8)
#23 Sunrise Mountain (22-4) at #10 Sandra Day O’Connor (16-8)
#18 Campo Verde (21-6) at #15 Williams Filed (21-4)
#31 Douglas (23-3) at #2 Millennium (19-6)
The Bradshaw Mountain Lady Bears will travel to play Mingus in Cottonwood on Thursday in a 4A Division play-in game.
Mingus (19-7) and ranked #12 finished third in the Grand Canyon Region at (8-4). The Lady Marauders swept the #25 Lady Bears (9-13) by scores of 61-42 and 51-35.
