Schwanbeck and Nuguid light up the Lady Warriors

Friday night was Senior Night as the Lady Rams hosted their final home game of the season against the Lady Warriors of Baboquivari.

The dynamic duo of Jessica Schwanbeck and Yvonne “Yo” Nuguid combined for 42 points and carried the Lady Rams to a 54-40 victory over the Lady Warriors of Baboquivari.

Both teams came out firing but struggled to find the basket early. The scoring drought came to an end when Schwanbeck drained a jumper from the wing. On the next possession she nailed a jumper from the corner, giving the Lady Rams a 4-0 lead.

Lady Ram Jessica Schwanbeck (#34) glides in for two points in the first quarter against Baboquivari on Friday.

Lady Ram point guard Nuguid got it going when she followed up her own her miss with a put back off the glass for two.

The Lady Warriors finally got on the board when Tina Pablo stole the ball and drove coast-to-coast for the lay up off the glass.

The Lady Ram defense turned up the intensity when Schwanbeck stole the ball and fired an outlet pass to Nuguid for the lay up, giving the Lady Rams an 11-2 lead.

Spark plug Brittany Parks came off the Lady Ram bench and was on the receiving end of a Kayla Valisto bounce pass in the paint for two off the glass. Nuguid recorded her second steal of the night and hit the turn around jumper in the lane, giving the Lady Rams a 15-2 lead.

On the next Lady Ram fast break Nuguid fired a cross-court pass to Valisto down low for two. Valisto displayed great court vision when she bounced a pass to a cutting Parks, who laid the ball in off the glass.

With seconds remaining in the first quarter Nuguid knocked down a three from the wing, putting the Lady Rams ahead 22-2 at the end of the first quarter.

The Lady Warriors scored on back-to-back possessions to open up the second quarter, but the Lady Warriors still trailed 6-22. Lady Ram Schwanbeck responded by draining a nice jumper from the baseline.

Lady Ram Parks came up on a defensive steal that led to a fast break lay up by running mate Schwanbeck. Late in the quarter Parks drove to the hoop and threw a sweet, no look pass across the lane to Schwanbeck for the easy lay up.

The Lady Warriors finally cracked double digits when Ashlyn Ortiz drained a three from the top of the key. Lady Ram Schwanbeck knocked down a nice baseline floater, giving the Lady Rams a 32-11 lead at the half.

Maricopa’s Kayla Valisto (#44) goes in for a shot Friday night in the first half.

Lady Ram Sarah Scofield (#13) shoots two from the charity stripe in the first half against Baboquivari Friday night.

Schwanbeck converted a lay up and knocked down a baseline jumper to open up the third quarter. On the next possession Nuguid drained a turn around jumper in lane, giving the Lady Rams a 38-14 lead.

The Lady Warriors converted on four consecutive possessions when Pablo drained a jumper in the key; Emclene Lopez made a nice floater in the lane; Pablo got the offensive rebound and put back down low, and Ortiz made the dribble drive and shot off the glass, but the Lady Warriors still trailed 22-40 to end the third quarter.

Lady Ram Nuguid floated a sweet pass over the defense to Schwanbeck down low for two to open up the fourth quarter; then Nuguid knocked down a three from the wing, giving the Lady Rams a 45-27 lead.

Nuguid continued to showcase her passing skills as she bounced a passed to Schwanbeck in the lane for two, giving the Lady Rams a 54-40 victory.

Maricopa’s Yvonne “Yo” Nuguid (#33) shows no mercy on her way to the hoop Friday night against Baboquivari.

Lady Ram Danielle Heidema (#24) drives on a fast break for the lay in against Baboquivari during the second half Friday.

Jessica Schwanbeck led the Rams with 23 points, followed by Yvonne “Yo” Nuguid with 19, Brittany Parks with 5, Kayla Valisto with 4 and Danielle Heidema with 2.

The Lady Rams are 9-2 in 2A West Regional play. They travel to Yuma Catholic on Wednesday night.

Good luck against Yuma Catholic, and congratulations on a successful and entertaining season. Go Lady Rams!

A special thanks to the following seniors who were recognized at Friday night’s game:

Vanessa Aguirre
Danielle Heidema
Yvonne Nuguid
Jessica Schwanbeck
Sarah Scofield
Kayla Valisto

Photos by Jeremy Knop