MARICOPA — When Maricopa finally took a third quarter lead in what was a back-and-forth game Wednesday, it squeezed out a 65-51 victory over Yuma Catholic's boys basketball team.
Because Antelope beat Baboquivari 75-60, the Rams and Shamrocks are tied for second place in the 2A West Region, setting up an extra game between the two teams at 7 p.m. Friday at Cibola to decide the West's No. 2 seed in the 2A state tournament.
"We played OK, we just didn't shoot the ball extremelly well, but Maricopa played a tough defense had something to do with it," YC coach Brooks Neumann said.
Neumann added the team played hard throughout the game and in a back-and-fourth first half that had the Shamrocks (14-13, 9-3 2A West) down by only four at halftime.
Yuma Catholic also played well after Maricopa jumped out to a 12-point third quarter lead. "They got a run in the third quarter and ballooned the lead up to 12 points," Neumann said.
With the lead Maricopa had the upper hand and held the ball whenever they had posession forcing Yuma Catholic to come out of its zone defense and play man to man. Neumann said his team couldn't keep up with Maricopa's quick guards in man to man defense.
