The Maricopa Rams boys’ varsity basketball team made a late-season push to qualify for the state division East Sky 4A-II playoffs last week. The Rams’ first season in the higher division appeared to be over as they headed into a Jan. 15 match up with Higley High School. At that point, the team had lost six in a row and sat 3-8 in their division. “We just were not playing very well,” said head coach Andy Branchik. However, the team’s fortunes were about to change. Maricopa methodically dismantled Higley 59-34 and ignited a late-season run in which the Rams would win six of seven, knocking off divisional powerhouses Williams Field and Seton Catholic Preparatory along the way. “Our defense really stepped up, and we just started moving the ball better,” Branchik said. One of the players Branchik credits for the turnaround is his senior point guard Jarvis Gonzalez. He said the guard’s play was inconsistent in the beginning of the season, his first starting at the varsity level, but he continued to improve and level out as the season progressed. “He ended up averaging around 12 points, five assists and three steals a game,” Branchik said. He was not the only player the coach said grew as the season progressed. “Besides Terrance Motley (who averaged nearly 20 points and 10 boards on the season), the majority of our boys have no experience playing as starters on the varsity level,” he said. “We just learned to play as a team and our game really improved,” he added. While the team has qualified for the playoffs, their opponent is yet to be determined, but possibilities include Thunderbird, Flagstaff or Palo Verde high schools. “A lot of these teams still have games left to play so we will just sit and watch to see who we are matched up against,” Branchik said. With the Rams’ record of 9-9 in their division, Maricopa will likely have to win two road games to keep their championship hopes alive. This season the Rams are 3-6 away from home.
Photo by Chuck King |