The time is
just about here.
Xavier
Prep’s basketball team has worked long and hard to get another opportunity to
win the first 6A Conference state championship in the school’s history.
After
falling to Surprise Valley Vista in last season’s title game, Xavier has posted
a 26-4 record entering Tuesday night’s (Feb. 26) game against Premier Region
rival Chandler Hamilton (25-5) at Arizona State University’s Wells Fargo Arena.
Tipoff is 6 p.m.
Xavier is
the No. 2 seed, Hamilton No. 1. The teams split their two-game regular season
series. Xavier defeated the Huskies 49-40 on Jan. 18 at Hamilton, and Hamilton
returned the favor on Feb. 5 with a 38-36 victory at Xavier.
The outcome
likely will come down to the play of Xavier’s three senior co-captains – point
guard Leilani McIntosh, guard Paris Rasheed-Moore and guard Addie Putnam.
Hamilton counters with a balanced lineup led by junior guard Victoria Davis,
who is the only Huskies player to score in double figures (11.1).
McIntosh has
stepped up her game in the quarterfinals against Chandler High (21 points) and
the semifinals (29 points), where the Gators dethroned two-time champion
Surprise Valley Vista, 65-51.
Putnam is
one of the state’s top 3-point shooters and will need to supplement McIntosh’s
offensive production with that long-range accuracy.
Rasheed-Moore
is the team’s fastest player and often will get the break going by rebounding
the ball and dribbling the length of the floor before driving to the basket or
passing the ball.
Xavier
survived against Valley Vista despite being outrebounded 40-22, but will need
to improve significantly on the glass to remain in this one.
In the first
meeting with Hamilton, Xavier got 15 points from McIntosh, 12 from
Rasheed-Moore and 10 from Putnam, all of hers in the second half.
In the
second contest, the lead went back and forth before Hamilton built a
seven-point lead with 3 ½ minutes left in the game. Xavier pulled within one at
the 1:15 mark on a big 3-pointer but couldn’t get the win as Rasheed-Moore’s
desperation 3-point attempt from just inside the half-court line fell short.
Transportation/parking/entrance
The team had
a great crowd for last year’s championship game, and XCP officials are looking
for a repeat. Xavier fans are urged to wear blue
Entry fee is
$10 for adults and $5 for students with ID. Ticket sales and arena opening are at
5 p.m. at the East Gate for spectators and the North Gate for those with
Arizona Interscholastic Association passes. There will be a clear bag policy
for security purposes.
Fans can
park in the Packard Structure at Packard and 6th Ave., or in the
Stadium Structure, directly across from Sun Devil Stadium on Veterans Way.
Parking fee
is $10.
For those
who cannot attend, the game will be broadcast on the 1580-AM radio channel,
along with 95.9 and 99.3 FM, according to the AIA.
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