Maricopa boys fall to Florence in home finale

With a packed gymnasium in attendance, Friday night had all the makings of a celebration for the Maricopa High School boys basketball team.

Not only were seniors Larsen Arey, Josh Gonzalez, J.J. Pearson, Jaime Sanchez, Santino Smith, and Cullen Teller were playing their last home game for the Rams, but the entire squad was about to play the final game in the 50-year history of the old school gymnasium.

“This building has lots and lots of history, and no matter where my coaching career takes me, I will always remember my days here and the times we’ve had together,” said coach Andy Branchik as he addressed his players and fans during pre-game festivities.

Unfortunately for the Rams, Florence High School came to crash the party, beating Maricopa 79-74.

The tone for the game was set from the start when the Gophers won the opening tip and immediately scored on a 3-point shot. However, the Rams were able to quickly bounce back and scored on two consecutive trips down the court. The action in the first quarter was fast-paced and contentious as the teams fought a seesaw battle. With 11 seconds remaining in the quarter, Florence hit its fourth 3-pointer to take a 23-21 lead.

The second quarter started much like the first, with Florence extending its lead on another 3-pointer, a theme that was repeated throughout the evening. But the Rams fought back from the early deficit, tying the score when Terrence Motley scored on a three-point play with 5:30 remaining in the half. Maricopa and Florence traded the lead back and forth for the remainder of the quarter, with the score knotted at 42 at halftime.

The third quarter proved to be the difference in the game for the Rams. Turning the ball over on the opening possession of the half, Florence sparked a 9-2 run in the first two minutes of play. Fighting back through the quarter, the Rams were led by Kendal Morris and Motley, who combined to score six points to cut the deficit to only three points. But two quick 3-pointers from the Gophers pushed their lead back up to seven for a 66-59 advantage at the end of the quarter.

The Rams fought back and under the leadership of Motley, they closed the gap. With less than 2 minutes remaining in the game, the Rams tied the score on a drive up the lane by Jarvis Gonzalez. Florence retook the lead, but a pair of free throws by Gonzalez evened the score again for Maricopa.

But with 1:44 remaining, the Gophers hit the last of their 3-pointers for a 73-70 lead. The Rams cut it to one point on a score by Davon Snell, but Florence protected the ball and hits its free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

Motley led all Rams scorers with 15 points, while Arey (13), Snell (12), and Morris (10) each scored double digits. Also contributing for the Rams were Jarvis Gonzalez (6), Josh Gonzalez (6), Travis Brown (4), and Pearson, Lester Gonzalez, Smith, and Sanchez each scored two points.

The loss, which dropped the Rams’ overall record to 16-7 and 7-5 in region play, is a blow to their chances at making the playoffs. Next up for the Rams are road games against Globe and Fountain Hills on Tuesday and Friday.

Photo by David Vargas