Photo: Uriah Tenette led all scorers with 36 points
Things can get crazy in the post season and for the Prescott Badgers on Friday night it got downright scary. The ALA-Gilbert North Eagles pulled out all the stops but Badgers advanced to the 4A semifinals with a 54-48 win in overtime.
Uriah Tenette was amazing once again, producing 36 of the points in the game.
The Badgers will face St. Mary’s for a second time this season as the Knights earned a return trip to Prescott with a 24 point win over Salpointe Catholic.
Prescott opened up the season in December with a 68-50 win over the Knights.
Friday night both the Badgers and the Eagles struggled to score early, in fact, it took over two minutes to get the goose eggs off the scoreboard.
Photo: Zane Gaul was hampered by foul trouble with three in the first half
ALA-Gilbert North took a lead and the Badgers had to overcome foul trouble as big man Zane Gaul had to sit some minutes. Prescott led by two after one quarter and held a slim 24-21 halftime lead.
Tenette had 15 points at the half, scored nine more in the third quarter, but the Eagles took a 38-36 lead led by Connor Morris who had 17 points, as the game headed into the fourth quarter.
It was Tenette again and Gaul who scored all the Prescott points in the final quarter as the teams went into overtime tied at 45. Tenette scored six in the OT, but it was a three point basket by Josiah Peoples that pushed the lead to two scores as the Badgers would go on to win by six.
Prescott coach Travis Stedman said, “We just didn’t shoot the ball well tonight. They did a good job on Zane and he got into foul trouble which limited his ability on the floor. We did however play great defense which really was the key to getting the win.”
The Badgers are in the semifinals for the third time in school history. Neither the 1973 or 1996 team was able to advance to the championship game. A win over St. Mary’s will send Prescott to the championship game for the first time in school history.
PRESCOTT BADGERS 54, ALA-GILBERT EAGLES 48, OT
ALA-GILBERT NORTH (48) Massey 3 0-0 7, T. Morris 1 0-0 3, C. Morris 6 3-4 17, Sneed1 1-2 5, Babic 5 1-2 13, Grant 1 0-0 3, Jensen 0 0-0 0. 18 5-8 48.
PRESCOTT (54)-Magnett 1 0-0 3, Tenette 10 16-19 36, Vanderploeg 0 0-0 0, Gaul 2 2-4 4, Richardson 1 0-0 3, Fundalewicz 1 0-0 3, Peoples 1 0-0 3. 16 18-23 54.
Score by Quarters- 1 2 3 4 OT – T
ALA-Gilbert North 9 12 17 7 3 – 48
Prescott 11 13 12 9 9 – 54
Total Fouls-ALA-GN 16, P 12
FouledOut-None
Three Pointers-ALA-GN (7)-C. Morris 2, Babic 2, T. Morris 1, Grant 1, Massey 1. P (4)-Magnett 1, Fundalewicz 1, Peoples 1, Richardson 1.
DIVISION 4A QUARTERFINALS SCORES
Prescott 54, ALA-Gilbert North 48, OT
St. Mary’s 78, Salpointe Catholic 54
Deer Valley 71, Cactus Shadows 57
Dysart 56, Sahuaro 55
SEMIFINALS-Monday, 7pm
#8 Dysart (23-5) at #4 Deer Valley (24-5)
#3 St. Mary’s (16-12) at #2 Prescott (22-6)
CHAMPIONSHIP-Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Thursday, 8pm
TBA
