PRESCOTT VALLEY — The Fort Thomas Lady Apaches started Friday off with a 10:30am tip-off against Leading Edge Academy.
The Apaches beat LEA by 10 in the regular season but that didn’t stop the Spartans from starting the game of fast. They were paced by Talia Estrada with 12 points in the first half, all from three feet behind the NBA three point line.
Fort Thomas countered with 13 points from Alleenna Gilbert in the paint but still trailed 30-26 at halftime.
Fort Thomas head coach, Lee Haws, made a defensive adjustment at halftime and switched to a box and one on Estrada. That decision paid off as the Apaches held Estrada to just one free throw in the second half.
“We knew that LEA could shoot and we weren’t extending our defensive high enough in the first half,” said Fort Thomas Head Coach Lee Haws. “We had to make a change at halftime and I’m glad it worked”, he added.
The Apaches gave up only 11 points in the 2nd half to take control of the game and the win 58-41. The will play for the 1A State Championship at 4pm against Rock Point.
Both Pima squads won Friday night but the boys team had a little more trouble with Miami than anticipated. The ‘Riders trailed by 5 at the end of the first quarter and rallied to tie it at 34 at the halftime break.
Grant Ashby took over the 3rd quarter for Pima, scoring 9 of his 11 points to give the Roughriders a 49-47 lead. Pima used their height advantage in the 4th quarter with Seth Russell and Garrett Curtis scoring a combined 16 to push the ‘Riders to a 63-41 victory. Pima will play Trivium Prep at 1pm in the 2nd round.
Miami was led in scoring by Gabe Escobedo who poured in a game high 30 points.
The top ranked Pima girls showed why they have been the number 1 seed all year long with a dominating 77-15 victory over #16 Horizon Honors in the late game. Pima was led by Ashlynn Chlarson’s 18 point, 10 rebound performance. Saydee Allred added 18 and Aubrie Sherwood had 16. Pima plays San Carlos at 2:30pm in the second round.
