Badgers Draw Salpointe Catholic in 4A playoff opener : Hoops action returns to Prescott

The Prescott Badgers will get a second chance playoff run opportunity beginning Thursday night, as they will host the Salpointe Catholic Lancers from Tucson. The Badgers lost their Open Division debut, bouncing them back to the 4A playoff picture. The Lancers beat Eastmark in a play-in game to advance, earning them a trip to Prescott.

Salpointe Catholic finished third in the Kino Region with a (5-3) record, (15-12) overall, behind Pueblo and region winner Sahuaro. The Lancers are led by two seniors. Canyon Torres at 14 points per game, and by dual threat Pasha Shemirani, who averages 12 points and eight rebounds per game. Keep an eye on junior forward Bobby Smith, who averages 7 points, but came up big with 17 in their last game. The team allows an average of 55 points, while scoring 61. There are no common opponents between the two schools this season.

The Badgers look to rebound from a rough and tough loss at 6A Sunnyslope, where Prescott struggled offensively, and was beaten on the boards. The top three scorers of Uriah Tenette, Zane Gaul, and Jake Hilton, were held to half of their combined average of 48 points per game. Look for that to change. As a team, the Badgers on average outscore their opponents 69 to 49. Game time is set for 7pm Thursday, in the Badger Dome.

About the playoffs, St. Mary’s was the only Division 4 team to advance past the first two rounds of the Open Division, allowing the highest seeded loser in the play-in round (Paradise Honors) to make the sixteen team 4A playoffs.

4A DIVISION-First Round Games, Thursday, February 16 at 7 pm

#13 Salpointe Catholic (15-12) at #4 PRESCOTT (20-3)

#14 Coconino (16-12) at #3 Bradshaw Mountain (22-4)

#16 Paradise Honors (16-11) at #1 ALA-Gilbert North (26-2)

#12 Thunderbird (18-9) at #5 Mesquite (19-8)

#10 Dysart (21-6) at #7 Sahuaro (20-6)

#9 Mica Mountain (17-9) at #8 Deer Valley (19-7)

#11 Pueblo (20-8) at #6 Cactus (21-5)

#15 Seton Catholic (15-12) at #2 Peoria (24-4)

Quarterfinals, February 22

Semifinals, February 25

Finals, March 2, 8 pm, at Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum

4A CONFERENCE- Play-In Games

#9 Deer Valley 76, #24 Agua Fria 55

#18 Seton Catholic Prep 41, #15 Paradise Honors 40

#11 Dysart 57, #22 Estrella Foothills 38

#14 Salpointe Catholic 62,#19  Eastmark 59

#16 Coconino 69, #17 AZ College Prep 51

#12 Pueblo 63, #21 Moon Valley 59

#13 Thunderbird 61, #20 Amphitheater 56

#10 Mica Mountain 62, #23 Walden Grove 60

OPEN DIVISION-Second Round Scores

Sunnyslope 64, Campo Verde 43

St. Mary’s 87, ALA-Gilbert North 77

Perry 87, Pinnacle 34

Liberty 91, Millennium 83

Ironwood 59, Canyon View 57

Desert Mountain 64, Highland 55

Notre Dame Prep 69, Peoria 53

Basha 57, Brophy Prep 49

OPEN DIVISION-Quarterfinal Games, Saturday, February 18 at 7pm

#18 St. Mary’s (16-12) at #10 Sunnyslope (23-5)

#8 Liberty (22-6) at #1 Perry (27-1)

#13 Desert Mountain (24-4) at #5 Ironwood (23-5)

#14 Notre Dame Prep (23-5) at #11 Basha (23-5)

Semifinals-February 24

Finals-March 4, 5:30pm at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum