Zabawa scores 18 in Rams victory

Senior Justin Zabawa scored 18 points propelling Maricopa to a 59-55 victory over Santa Cruz Valley Friday night.

The Santa Cruz Valley Dust Devils scored first and held a slim lead for most of the first quarter. With two and a half minutes left in the period, Zabawa stole the ball and took it down court for a layup, giving Maricopa the lead. The Rams (10-7) led the rest of the half and were up 24-23 at the break.

Head Coach Andy Branchik preached patience to his team at halftime.

Wesley Gonzalez scored nine points in the second half to help the Rams pull away from the Dust Devils and secure the win.

“The team did a very good job of forcing pressure on the other team toward the end of the game,” Branchik said.

The win was just the second in league play for the Rams, which entered the game with a 1-3 record against 3A South League opponents. Maricopa faces Florence, which also entered Friday with a 1-3 league record, Tuesday.

IF YOU GO:
What: Boys Basketball
Who: Maricopa vs. Florence
When: Tuesday, Jan. 8
Where: Maricopa High School
Cost: $5 Adults, $3 Students

Photo by Jeremy Knop