Rock Point's underclassmen clutch in crunch time

February 22, 2020 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365


Rock Point celebrates after capturing its first 1A Conference basketball title trophy. Photo by Jose Garcia (azpreps365.com)

Rock Point’s youngsters didn’t panic.

Their tough schedule prepared them for the tense moments of Saturday’s 1A Conference state championship game in front of a large crowd. It faced a very determined Baboquivari team that was attempting to snap its two-year streak of state runner-up endings.

Baboquivari fought until the end. But Rock Point’s underclassmen kept their composure in the final minutes of their 69-61 Saturday victory at Findlay Toyota Center.

Baboquivari trailed by seven with 5:44 remaining but a couple of threes by captain Alohilani Felix and Jordan Ramon pulled their team to within a point, 59-58, of tying the game with 3:27 left.

But two scoring drives in the lane by junior Tierra John, a block by freshman Arianne Begay and scoring drive of her own by sophomore Tamira John gave Rock Point the cushion it needed to keep Baboquivari from making another comeback.

“I owe this to the community and the teams I’ve had in the past three years,” Rock Point coach Andrew Reed said. “We worked hard for one of these. We deserve one.”

Like Baboquivari, Rock Point wanted to reverse its luck in the championship arena, where it finished as the runner-up three times in its history prior to Saturday.

“We’ll be back next year,” said Reed, who will only lose three seniors. “We’re going to be back for the next two or three years.”

Don’t expect Baboquivari to end its quest for a crown either, not as long as coach Joseph Mease is around.

Mease and his staff turned Baboquivari into a winner and took the program to its firsts championship games since he took over in 2014. Senior captain Autumn Nelson epitomized the strong will of Baboquivari (24-7).

Baboquivari

The 5-foot-3 guard was all over the floor, just like her teammates, Saturday until she picked up her fourth foul. Her second period three in transition gave her team its first lead, 28-27, of the game.

With five minutes left on the clock in the third period, the game was tied 41-41. But that’s when the tallest players on the floor, Begay and John, went to work in the post to help their team, which finished 25-4, nab a six point lead before the final eight minute period.

"I was nervous, but I just knew I had to try and ignore the crowd and focus on the game,” John said.

Rock Point dedicated every game this season to Tom Tsosie, a former bus driver at the school who passed away two years ago.

His impact on the school’s athletic programs was great and will always be remembered, Rock Point team members said.