By Greg Perkins The Holbrook Roadrunners pushed their unbeaten streak to 12-0 with home court wins over Ganado last Thursday and Fountain Hills on Friday night. Thursday’s 57-32 win was pretty much decided in the first eight minutes when the Roadrunners built an 18-8 lead. Abrian Dickson dropped 12 of his game high 24 points in the first quarter to pace Holbrook. Hayden Kinlichee and Rhett Desiderio added three more treys in the second, pushing the halftime margin to a comfortable 32-15 edge for the Birds. Dickson hit three more from distance in the third as Holbrook cruised to its 11th win of the season. Along with Dickson’s 24 points, Nathan Johnson and Miireux Begaii added 8 each; Kinlichee, 6; Benson Davis and Desiderio, 3 each; Damian Begay and Elliot Pete, 2; and Brandon Kester, 1. Collectively, Holbrook made 11 two-point field goals, 10 three-point field goals and went five for eight at the line. The Hornets were led by Daryl Lincoln with 6 and Tim Benally added 5. Ganado made just one three-point shot and went three for nine at the line. On Thursday night the Roadrunners welcomed the Fountain Hills Falcons, who were looking for just their second win of the season. They nearly got it, threatening Holbrook’s unbeaten streak before falling 63-60. Dickson hit a three-point shot early, but until the second half the Falcons adjusted their defense and kept him in check. Holbrook struggled with Fountain Hill’s size, with several of the Falcons measuring around the 6-3 or 6-4 mark. The Roadrunners netted just three field goals in the second period and trailed 24-21 at the half. In the third Dickson finally got free and connected on two three-point shots among his 10 points in the period, which helped Holbrook forge a 39-39 tie going into the fourth. In the final quarter, Elliot Pete came to life, netting eight points in the paint to keep the Birds in touch with the Falcons. With the score knotted at 56-56 with less than a minute left Holbrook came out of a timeout and found Dickson, who drained his fifth trey of the night to give the Birds a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He then closed the game out at the free throw line, where he made four straight to secure the three-point win. Dickson again led Holbrook in scoring with a 26-point effort. Begaii, Pete, and Kinlichee added 8 each; Davis, 7; and Johnson, 6. The Birds made seven three-point field goals and converted nine of 13 free throws. Fountain Hills made two three-point shots and hit 16 of 22 free throws. The Roadrunners were slated to put their unbeaten streak on the line Monday night when they hosted a solid Prescott team. Following that game they won’t return to action until the Blue Ridge Holiday Tournament, with games scheduled Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 31-Jan. 2, in Lakeside. They return to regular season action on Saturday, Jan. 9, when they travel to Page.
Birds Continue Streak With Wins Over Ganado And Fountain Hills
Printed in the December 25, 2015 edition