By Don Ketchum

Phoenix Thunderbird has been a contender in Class 4A girls basketball circles for quite some time, in both divisions -- I and II.

The Chiefs figure to be in the thick of things again when state tournament time arrives. Until then, they have plenty of work to do.

The team was at opposite ends of the spectrum in recent days in the Scottsdale Holiday Invitational. The tournament is being held at Scottsdale Desert Mountain and Phoenix Horizon highs, and wraps up Thursday (Dec. 30) at both sites.

Thunderbird rebounded from a loss to host Horizon on Tuesday night (Dec. 28) by defeating Phoenix Trevor Browne 77-34 on Wednesday (Dec. 29).

Thunderbird first-year coach Barry Ringel, an assistant for former long-time coach Steve Burke, found it somewhat difficult to assess Wednesday’s win. Trevor Browne had just seven players and eventually wore down. The clock was turned to a running clock with the big Thunderbird lead.

“Playing in the tournament has been good for us,’’ he said. “It gives us a chance to play some teams we won’t see during the season, some 5A schools. Today’s game (vs. Trevor Browne) allowed us to get some experience for our bench players, some quality time.

“We have had a couple of bumps in the road, but the development of the players has been very good, considering where we started, to the start of the second half of the season (mainly region play).’’

Thunderbird has had some decent height in the past, but is not as tall this season.

“Not a lot of size, but we can play small ball,’’ Ringel said. “We can shoot and run, push the ball up the floor and finish (on the break). And we are pretty good defensively.’’

The Chiefs had two prominent scorers on Wednesday – senior Shelbie Hess (26 points) and junior Lillian Southwick (23). Senior Kelly McCann and senior Jamie Heath each chipped in with 11.