By Don Ketchum

It was a year ago at the Horizon holiday tournament when the boys basketball team from Phoenix Scottsdale Christian made a statement that it was legitimate. It defeated some Class 5A teams on the way to winning the tourney title and later went on to claim the Class 2A state championship.

The Eagles were back at the 2010 version of the MidFirst Horizon Boys Basketball Invitational on Thursday night (Dec. 16) and nearly came back to win their first-round game.

But this time, it was Glendale Deer Valley that showed it might be a factor in the Class 5A Division II state tourney, hanging on during crunch time for a 58-57 victory, ending a 32-game winning streak by Scottsdale Christian.

Scottsdale Christian (6-1) had a chance to win it after Deer Valley (7-2) missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw situation with 7.5 seconds left. But Scottsdale Christian couldn’t get the ball into range for a good shot and a pass was intercepted near midcourt.

Deer Valley had a 14-point lead early in the third quarter, but Scottsdale Christian got back in it as Jake Cipoletti and Michael Sendra hit three-pointers in the third quarter and Cipoletti connected two more time from long range.

Cipoletti, who scored 22 points, converted two free throws at 1:09 and hit two of three with 12.2 seconds after being fouled on a three-point attempt. The third free throw was about halfway through the basket before bouncing back out as Deer Valley got the rebound.

Deer Valley used its quickness, in particular that of point guard Connor Cotterman (23 points), to build its early lead. It is quickness that the Skyhawks will need as they battle a talented field in the Northwest Region, which is led by defending state champion Anthem Boulder Creek. Boulder Creek also is in the Horizon tourney.

“Last year, we would have lost that game, so this shows that we have matured a little,’’ said Deer Valley coach Jed Dunn.

“We knew Scottsdale would come back on us.’’

The Horizon tournament continues Friday (Dec. 17) with games at 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Deer Valley plays at 6:30.