The Lady Lobos opened their 2023-2024 basketball season at the Inferno Invitational tournament hosted by Palo Verde Magnet School in Tucson. Snowflake played five games over the three-day tournament picking up three wins with two losses.
They opened tournament play against Flowing Wells on Monday afternoon with a 41-46 loss to the 4A Caballeros. Later that afternoon they were dominant in a 68-25 win over 3A Coolidge. Tuesday at noon, the Lobos dropped a two-point decision to 6A Sunnyside by a final of 42-44. Later Tuesday, they picked up a 52-15 win over 5A Nogales. Snowflake’s final game of the tournament was a 42-36 win over the 4A Sahuarita Mustangs.
Those five early games against quality competition from larger schools will have helped them prepare for their first regular season game on Tuesday at Alchesay. The two-time defending state champion Lady Falcons are off to a 2-0 start, with wins over Holbrook and San Carlos last week.
Last year the Lobos fell to Alchesay in Lobo country by eight points to start the season. This will be a match-up of physical size vs speed. Also, the Falcons will be playing in front of nearly 4,000 fans, which always gives them a bit of an edge.
Following their game with Alchesay, the Lady Lobos will be off until next Wednesday when they host Safford in their first home game of the season. Their second home game will be on Dec. 14, when Round Valley makes a visit.
