Boulder Creek finds offensive flow in region win
Marc Buckhout ~ Managing Editor ~ 01/27/2010

Boulder Creek girls basketball coach Theresa Beall has ridden a roller coaster this season, otherwise known as her team’s offense this season.
In January the team’s scoring output has had G-force pulling climbs as well as skydiving type plunges to turn the stomach of even the most hardened adrenaline junkie.
For a team fighting to remain in contention for a berth in the 5A Div-II state girls basketball tournament there’s one ingredient the team from Anthem needs to add to their repertoire.
“Obviously we need to find some consistency on offense,” the coach said. “The other night we couldn’t have hit the water from a boat. It was bad. I told the girls to simply block that game from their mind. It’s a little difficult when you go a whole game and only make four field goals, but we bounced back tonight.”
Showing no ill effects from an embarrassing 47-20 loss to Deer Valley on Jan. 19 the Jaguars posted their second highest scoring game of the season Friday, earning a 68-48 win in a Northwest Region matchup at Sandra Day O’Connor High School.
“The thing is it’s all about making some shots,” Beall said. “For the most part we’re getting the shots we want. That hasn’t been the problem. Sometimes I jokingly remind the girls that putting the ball in the basket is the object of the game.”
After missing most of the previous two weeks following a concussion senior Cate Taylor Anderson returned to the lineup Friday, giving her team a boost of not only of energy, but also of offense.
Just three days removed from posting 20 points for an entire game Taylor Anderson led the Jaguars to 20 in the first quarter, with the forward contributing half of the scoring.
“It’s really good to have Cate back,” Beall said. “She does so many things for us. She did a good job finding the dead spots in the zone and scoring, but she rebounds, she handles the ball well. She’s one of the steady players that we count on.”
Taylor Anderson, who finished with a team best 20 points, said the time recovering from the concussion allowed her to see how she could best benefit the team.
“I think we did a better job getting the ball inside tonight than we have in a while,” the senior said.
The numbers supported Taylor Anderson’s claim as Boulder Creek scored 32 of their 39 points from inside the lane in the first half.
With Taylor Anderson playing the high post and fellow senior Tina Boyle, the team’s leading scorer on the season, in the low post the Jaguars produced in the paint throughout the game against a Sandra Day O’Connor front line that eagerly bit on pump fakes from the Jaguars duo.
Senior point guard Daniella Panfil completed a potent scoring punch as the trio combined for 33 of the team’s 39 first half points. After Taylor Anderson led the team in the first quarter with 10 points Boyle picked things up in the second quarter with nine points as the Jaguars took a 39-30 lead at the half.
The Eagles played Boulder Creek to a draw in the third quarter as sophomore Kalie Matthews scored eight of her game-high 24 points.
With the deficit still at nine Sandra Day O’Connor seemingly was within striking distance entering the fourth quarter.
Boulder Creek’s defense had other ideas though, squashing the Eagles attempts at rallying, thanks to a full-court trap that forced turnover after turnover during the game’s final eight minutes.
Sandra Day (6-11, 1-6) managed only two points in the fourth quarter, making only 1 –of –6 shots, while turning the ball over 12 times in the fourth quarter. For the game the Eagles committed 34 turnovers.
“Our adrenaline was going tonight and if we play with that kind of intensity we shouldn’t have any problem getting to state,” Taylor Anderson said. “We’ve got games coming up against Kingman and Valley Vista. They’re all big right now.”
On Friday the Jaguars, who as of press time Tuesday were holding the 16th spot in the power rankings, host Kingman in a game that could be a huge boost to their chances at making the post season.
Kingman is 18-1 overall on the season and 6-0 in Northwest Region play. Just as importantly they sit No. 2 in the power ratings. A win over the Bulldogs would get the Jaguars to 8-9 and to 5-3 in region play.
On Tuesday Boulder Creek travels to Valley Vista to take on the 11-5 Monsoon, who are 5-1 in region play. The Monsoon sit at No. 6 in the power ratings.
CACTUS SHADOWS
The Falcons moved to 6-0 in 2010 with a 52-25 win over McClintock Friday.
The victory moved Cactus Shadows to 4-0 in Desert Sky Region play and 14-5 overall. On Tuesday the team traveled to Cottonwood to take on Mingus in a non-region contest (results unavailable at press time).
On Friday they return home to host Saguaro (10-10, 3-2).
BOYS
The Cactus Shadows basketball team, which hasn’t been able to put together consecutive wins together since Dec. 1, a 60-57 win over Peoria, fell to 8-11 overall and 2-3 in Desert Sky Region play following an 81-53 defeat at the hands of McClintock (15-6, 5-0).
On Tuesday the team hosted Mingus (8-9) in a non-region contest (results were unavailable at press time). The Falcons sit at No. 18 in the 4A Div-I power ratings, meaning they’ll need to finish the season strong if they are to earn a spot in the post season, as only the top 16 teams qualify.
BOULDER CREEK
The Jaguars continue to beat up on the Northwest Region. A week after beating Sandra Day O’Connor by 32 on the Eagles home court Boulder Creek knocked off the Eagles again Friday, this time by 22 points, running their win streak on the season to nine games. The win came on the heels of a 57-50 win at Deer Valley.
Boulder Creek, No. 6 in the 5A Div-II power ratings, sits at 17-2 overall and 7-0 in Northwest Region play.
On Tuesday the team from Anthem traveled to Kingman to take on the 9-12, 0-6 Bulldogs (results were unavailable at press time). On Friday they return home to host the 8-10 Valley Vista Monsoon, who are 3-4 in region play.