Warriors dominate Fountain Hills, advance to semifinals

Coming into the tournament as the No. 7 seed, the Warriors knew they would be overlooked. However, facing the No. 2 Falcons, the Warriors proved to be a formidable opponent, taking an early lead and never looking back, winning 73-50 and advancing to the semifinals for the first time in school history.

The Warriors’ calling card is their size and athleticism, with starters Corey Wood and Isaviah Duval both listed at 6-foot-6 and junior starter Chad Coplin standing 6-foot-4, the team uses their length to their advantage.

The three bigs on the team played their roles to perfection, with Wood and Coplin taking on majority of the scoring load and Duvall being a relentless rebounder and defensive stopper.

Wood led the way for the Warriors, finishing the night with 28 points, four rebounds and four blocks.

Fellow wing player Coplin also put in a solid performance for the team, scoring 12 points and coming up with five steals in the game.

“I’m just so proud of this group, our season was up-and-down to begin with, but we are playing our best basketball right now,” ALA-Ironwood head coach Ryan McCurdy said. “To put up 73 points in this arena, we had guys that really stepped up and shot the ball well.”

While the Warriors would go on to win by 23 points, the first half was a much closer game. Although the Warriors were able to hold their lead, the team relied on players making big plays at the right time.

Junior reserve Jackson Edgerton made a name for himself against Fountain Hills, scoring 16 total points off the bench, 12 of those points coming from beyond the arc.

“He gave us a spark in that first half,” McCurdy said about Edgerton. “We definitely label him as our sixth man coming off the bench. He has some offensive firepower, but I thought he did really well on the defensive end as well. He just does what he does, that kid is a bucket. I’m really proud of him.”

With their spot in the final four secured, the Warriors will now face Kayenta Monument Valley at 7:30 p.m. at the Arizona Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on Friday.

The Mustangs will pose a dangerous threat to the Warriors, considering they upset No. 3 Coolidge to advance.

What Monument Valley lacks in size, they make up for in speed and shooting ability. McCurdy understands the challenge that awaits his squad this Friday, but said he also wants his players to enjoy the experience and be proud of how far they’ve come.

“We have to oppose our will size-wise and beat them up in the paint and on the glass, I think that is going to be the key,” he said. “We are going to enjoy this win tonight and put it together these next couple of days. We’re excited, but at the same time, we know we can make a run at it, we really do. These kids are confident and coachable.”