Slow start dooms Cactus Shadows in home loss
MARC BUCKHOUT ~MANAGING EDITOR ~ 1/18/2012

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Despite being their third game in three nights the Cactus Shadows boys basketball team exceeded the 70 points plateau for the 10th consecutive game.
Heading into the game with a 9-4 record, reaching the 70 point benchmark had been an almost certain recipe for success as the Falcons were 7-1 in such contests.
But the Apaches of Nogales would set the bar much higher. Last year’s 25-5 state champions, at the 4A Div-I level, came out on fire in the Jan. 11 matchup. While the Falcons battled back in the game, they never led in a wire-to-wire 88-78 win for the visiting Apaches (15-3).
“They shot the ball extremely well,” Falcons first-year coach Jamaal Scott said. “This kind of game will help us come playoff time.  They’re a seasoned team. You don’t run across a team that can put five guys on the court that can shoot it like that real often. As good as they shot it they’re exceptional passers too.”
And while Scott was quick to hand out praise to the opponent he wasn’t down on his team, despite the loss.
“I think this type of game should prove to them that we can play with anybody,” he said. “We didn’t use fatigue as an excuse. We fought them tooth and nail. I never thought we were going to lose.”
That may have been the case, but the coach’s optimism was put to the test, almost from the opening tip as Nogales raced out to a 12-2 lead barely two minutes into the game.
In making five of their first six shots the visitors hit an array of three pointers and driving runners off one foot that would make local marksman, and Suns star, Steve Nash proud.
After a quick timeout by Scott the sharp-shooting Apaches continued their barrage, making 11-of-15 shots in the quarter, a torrid 73 percent clip, to race out to a 27-16 advantage.
For the half Nogales would shoot 63 percent, but a scrappy Falcons team, which forced a handful turnovers, with their full court pressure managed to hang around, trailing by 11 at the half.
Not much changed through the early stages of the third quarter as the halftime break did nothing to cool off Nogales, which was led by senior Joseph Monreal.  The Apaches guard seemingly made everything he threw up, going for a game high 34 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range as the Falcons too often failed to recognize and contest the Nogales sharpshooter. On the rare occasion that the guard missed, his teammate, junior Brian Cervantes, often came up with the offensive rebounds. Cervantes added 20 points, missing only two times in 11 attempts.
“Those hurt,” Scott said of the second chance points. “We didn’t get enough stops and when we did force them to miss we didn’t secure the rebounds.”
Offensively the Falcons kept within striking distance thanks to senior Austin Horton, who was steady throughout the night, making 8-of-14 shots on his way to a team-high 23 points, his high on the season. Cactus Shadows also got a boost from freshman Xavier Smith, who made 6-of-9 shots on his way to 17 points, his high as a varsity player.
“He has potential for sure,” Scott said. “With younger players it can be frustrating because there are highs and lows as they try to become consistent, but he has a bright future.”
Still down 11, at 60-49 with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Falcons made their best run of the night as Horton converted a driving attempt and was fouled for a three-point play, followed by a Mike Rabbini three-pointer and one out of the corner by Smith to close the corner, pulling the Falcons within four heading to the fourth quarter.
That would be as close as the Falcons would get though, as Nogales’ passing set the Apaches up for an 11 field goal fourth quarter, with 10 coming in the paint. All told Nogales hit 35-of-57 shots from the field for an unheard of 61 percent for the game.
Up next for the Falcons was a trip to Greenway (9-5) Tuesday for a rematch with the Demons (results unavailable at press time). In the first matchup between the two teams, at Cactus Shadows, the Falcons won 71-65.
The week’s other game is also on the road as Cactus Shadows travels to Shadows Mountain (6-11) to take on Scott’s high school team, the Mauraders.

BOULDER  CREEK
The Jaguars are 4-1 to open 2012, moving to 14-4 overall with wins over Mesa and Sandra Day O’Connor and a loss to Westwind  Prep Academy.
In their win over O’Connor Thursday the Jaguars posted a season-high 81 points in a 30 point blowout of their old Northwest Region rival. They followed that up with a 78-54 trouncing of Deer Valley, another old region rival on Friday.
On Tuesday the Jaguars played their third game in four nights when they hosted Prescott (results unavailable at press time).
The upcoming slate includes a Thursday game at home against Goldwater before travelling to Prescott to take on the Badgers Monday.
Varsity basketball games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.