Rams down Shamrocks 65-51; win the 2A West title

It was a heavyweight title bout on Senior Night, when the Shamrocks of Yuma Catholic came to town to take on the Rams with the 2A West regional crown and a number one seed in the 2007 state tournament on the line.

The Rams (18 – 5 overall) dominated the 2A west region going 10-1 in regional play with their lone loss coming at Yuma Catholic on Jan.19th by a score of 68-60. The Shamrocks of Yuma Catholic (14 -12 overall) came into the contest with an impressive 9-2 record in regional play.

With a Ram victory the Rams would be the outright 2A west regional champions. With a Yuma Catholic victory the teams would share 10-2 records in the region, but the regional crown would go to Yuma Catholic by virtue of the season’s sweep of the Rams.

The Shamrocks lost the regional title to the Rams last year, and that hasn’t set well with the Shamrocks and Coach Brooks Neumann. The Shamrocks came to Maricopa hoping to dethrone the defending regional champion Rams and return to the top of the 2A West.

The gym was packed with Rams fans of all ages, flaunting red shirts, cheering and displaying motivational banners. The excitement and energy in the air was evident in anticipation of the game’s opening tip off.

The Shamrocks got on the board first when Shamrock guard Jayson Koppinger was fouled on the put back attempt in the lane, putting him at the line where he converted both. From the wing Ram guard Clinton Teller found forward Joe Zabawa in the lane for two off the glass.

Next time down Ram point guard Uli Rojas fired an outlet pass to Seville Slater for the fast break lay-up, giving the Rams a 4 -2 lead.

Ram forward Gabe Jenkins came off the bench and had an immediate impact as he converted on back-to-back put backs down low, giving the Rams a 10 – 4 lead.

The Shamrocks cut into the lead when Brian Badgley, who was fouled on the shot attempt down low, knocked down both attempts from the free throw line, and, on the next possession, fired a pass to a wide open Rod Ford in the lane for an easy two, cutting the Ram lead to 12 -10.

Out of the timeout Ram guard Slater found an open Jenkins along the baseline for a wide open 10-footer. The Rams love the baseline, and, on the next possession, Teller swished a three from the corner. Ram big man Jenkins grabbed the defensive rebound with authority, ran the break and lobbed a pass to Slater for the easy lay up, giving the Rams a 19 -11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Maricopa’s Seville Slater (#15) leaps toward the hoop for a basket against Yuma Catholic Wednesday night.

Maricopa Ram Uli Rojas (#12) drives in for two points Wednesday night against Yuma Catholic.

Maricopa’s Gabe Jenkins (#42) looks to the hoop for a score after a spin move Wednesday night against Yuma Catholic.

The Rams turned up the defensive intensity to open up the second quarter when Slater stripped the ball, ran the break and dished to swingman Karlyle Stephens for the baseline lay-up. The steal bug was contagious and spread among the Rams team members. On the next defensive stand Stephens stole the ball and dropped in another lay up. Rojas stole the ball, drove the distance and was fouled on the lay up attempt. He converted one of two from the charity stripe, giving the Rams a 24 -13 lead.

Teller went back to his sweet spot on the baseline and knocked down another three-pointer for the Rams.

The Shamrocks put a nice run together when Badgley drove to the bucket and dished to Ford for a lay in down low. On the next Shamrock possession Ford was fouled on the put back attempt, putting him at the line where he converted both from the free throw line. Next time down Ford dished to a cutting Badgley who made the easy lay in.

Teller drained his third three-pointer from the baseline, giving the Rams a 30 – 21 lead.

With time winding down in the second quarter Badgley drained a three from the wing, and center Tom Terkelsen converted two from the free throw line, but the Rams led 30 – 26 at the half.

Teller knocked down a 15-footer from the baseline to open the third quarter, giving the Rams a 32 – 26 lead. Rojas continued to control the offensive tempo when he found Slater in the lane for a lay up. Next time down he drove coast-to-coast and was fouled on the lay up attempt. He missed both from the line, but, on the second miss, Jenkins grabbed the offensive rebound and went back up strong down low for two.

With a 39 – 29 lead Rojas knocked down a three-pointer from the wing, giving the Rams a comfortable lead late in the third.

Slater continued to get high percentage shots as he drove the baseline and made a three-footer off the glass. On the next possession he shook the defender and drove to the hoop for a lay up, giving the Rams a 48 – 33 lead.

With time winding down in the third, Shamrock Badgley knocked down a three-pointer from the wing, but the Shamrocks trailed 36 – 48 at the end of the third quarter.

Maricopa’s Joe Zabawa (#24) prepares to challenge Yuma Catholic under the basket in their game Wednesday night.

Maricopa Ram Clinton Teller (#20) fights for a basket under the hoop Wednesday night against Yuma Catholic.

Rojas bounced a pass to forward Zabawa in the lane for two and a cutting Cory Motley for two off the glass to open up the fourth quarter.

The Ram defense continued to create offensive opportunities when Slater stole the ball and drove to the hoop for the lay up, and big man Jenkins came up with a steal, then drove to the hoop, spun in the lane and made the lay up, giving the Rams a 56 – 40 lead.

Maricopa Rams head coach Rick Abel keeps his players focused during a time out Wednesday night in their game against Yuma Catholic.

With a minute and change left in the game, the Shamrocks made it an eight-point game when Terkelsen converted two attempts from the free throw line, and guard Badgley drained a three from the wing.

The Rams put the ball in Rojas’s hands to burn the clock. With 51 seconds left in the game Rojas was fouled, putting him at the charity stripe. Rojas was as cool as the other side of the pillow as he converted both from the line.

Shamrock Badgley was fouled, then converted both attempts from the free throw line, making it a 59 – 51 game.

When the Shamrocks were called for a technical foul, Motley sealed the victory for the Rams when he drained both technical foul free throw attempts. The Rams came away with a 65 – 51 victory.

Seville Slater, who had 16 points, led the Rams scoring, followed by Clinton Teller with 14, Gabe Jenkins with 10, Uli Rojas with 8, Cory Motley with 6 and Joe Zabawa with 5.

Congratulations to coach Rick Abel, the seniors and all the Rams on winning the 2A West (11-1) regional title.

Good luck in the state tournament!

Photos by Jeremy Knop