The final days of December will offer Xavier Prep’s basketball team an opportunity to heal from injuries and reflect on its struggle in the recent Nike Tournament of Champions, try to figure out what it can do better in 2022.
The Gators
won six regular-season games before entering the Nike and losing all four of their
games.
The latest
setback came on Wednesday (Dec. 22), 65-64 to Arizona 5A Conference team
Goodyear Millennium at Phoenix Desert Vista in Ahwatukee.
Despite the
loss, the Xavier coaches were pleased with the way the team fought back, showed
improvement and a good team mentality throughout the game.
Sophomore
guard-forward Sarah Miller led Xavier with 18 points and 6 rebounds.
“She was a
constant,’’ said head coach Jennifer Gillom.
Juniors Gabi
Trbovic (forward) and Sienna Cherwinski (guard)
and sophomore guard Maureen (Mo) Ulrich “really stepped up,’’ according to
Gillom, “and showed great poise.’’
Trbovic
scored 14 points, including 4 of 4 shooting, and grabbed 5 rebounds. Cherwinski
scored 15 points and had a pair of blocked shots. And Ulrich had 11 points, 5
assists and 8 rebounds.
With
sophomore guard Dom Nesland out for the second straight game with an injury,
Ulrich played the point again impressed the coaches with her drives to the
basket and dishing the ball to open teammates.
Sophomore
Gosi Alilonu played strong defense and came up with seven rebounds.
About
halfway through the second quarter, senior forward Toni Garcia suffered an
ankle injury and did not return. Her availability is uncertain moving forward.
Xavier
returns to game action on Jan. 4 with a home contest against Anthem Boulder
Creek.