Rams tip off season with hard-fought loss against Mesa Skyline

After Maricopa scored 16 consecutive points to take a 42-39 lead midway through the third quarter, Skyline closed out the period with an 11-0 surge to pull back ahead at 50-42.

“We told our guys that this is a game of runs,” Maricopa co-coach Charles Litt said. “Skyline called a timeout and they came out and they went on a run, so the momentum kind of shifted.”

The Rams (0-1) began the fourth quarter with a three-point play by Marcus Lowe to pull within 50-45, but the Coyotes (1-0) responded by scoring 13 straight points to take control at 63-45.

Despite the loss, Maricopa coach Andy Branchik was encouraged by the Rams’ effort in their Skyline Invitational Tournament opener.

“We saw some confidence in the kids,” Branchik said. “They were aggressive. They had their heads up. They played a good, hard-fought game.”

Maricopa senior guard Justin Warren led all scorers with 23 points, while senior forward Tyler Carlson finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds in his debut with the Rams.

“He had a good, all-around solid game,” Branchik said about Carlson, who transferred into the Maricopa school district from Montana. “He’s a great asset for us.”

Carlson helped the Rams to a 33-16 advantage in team rebounding.

“We have stressed in practice that this team must rebound the basketball,” Branchik said. “They’ve got to box out and they’ve got to keep those guys out of there. You saw some improvement in that category today. They did a good job. We were able to score in transition a couple times from that.”

On the negative side, the Maricopa offense was plagued by numerous turnovers that were forced by an aggressive Skyline defense.

“We just have to slow down,” Litt said. “We have to slow down when teams try to press us and try to speed us up. We tell our guards to make sure they get the ball, gather the team and make sure everybody is in the right position. We have to execute on our passing and not assume that the pass is going to get there.”

Senior guard Angel Ung led Skyline with 20 points and six steals. The Coyotes also got double-figure scoring from 6-foot-8 sophomore forward Jonathon Sims (15 points), junior guard Chris Madison (14 points) and senior forward Ralph Brunson (11 points).

“Skyline is a veteran team,” Litt said. “They are a very fundamental basketball team. They have the big men, and they have the guards.”

The Rams grabbed an early 13-9 lead on the strength of four layups and a free throw by senior guard Travis Brown (who finished the game with 11 points). Skyline went ahead 15-13 on a dunk by Sims, and the Coyotes increased their advantage to 37-26 at halftime.

After Skyline opened the third quarter with a basket by Madison to make it 39-26, K.J. Diehl began Maricopa’s comeback with a three-pointer from the right wing.

The Rams’ 16-0 scoring run also featured a triple from the right corner by Warren, a steal and layup by Carlson, a go-ahead three-pointer by Warren and a putback by Carlson.

Skyline battled back with a layup by senior guard Johnny Muruato. The Coyotes then went ahead to stay at 43-42 on a tip-in by Sims.

Brunson swished a three-pointer from beyond the top of the key at the third-quarter buzzer to complete Skyline’s decisive 11-0 swing, giving the Coyotes a 50-42 lead heading into the fourth.