In an interesting scheduling format Holbrook and Show Low faced each other twice last week in three days. The first contest was in Show Low on Wednesday where the Roadrunners prevailed 47-43.
They led by two after the first with Manny Guerrero hitting two treys in the quarter. In the second, Show Low overtook the Birds and led 29-22 at the half, despite Manny Rico’s five second period points.
The third quarter Holbrook flipped the script, outscoring the Cougars 16-4 to take the 37-33 lead into the fourth. Down the stretch the teams played evenly leaving Holbrook with the 4-point win.
Travis Bia led the Birds in scoring with 16 points. Guerrero added 13 with four treys. Rico had 9; Braylon Taliman, 7; and Brady Becenti helped with 1.
Holbrook made just 5 of 17 free throws and hit five 3-point field goals. The Cougars went 7 for 19 at the line and connected on four long range shots.
Two days later Show Low came to Munoz Gym for the rematch and nearly forced overtime with a shot at the buzzer. Holbrook played well early getting 6 from Bia in the first where they led 16-7.
Taliman hit two from distance in the second and Amare Nelson added another, giving Holbrook a seemingly comfortable 35-20 halftime lead.
Show Low started trimming points off that lead in the third but still trailed by 9 points heading into the final frame. In the fourth they made a late game run behind three treys. Holbrook clung to a 61-59 lead with just four seconds left when the Cougars got a shot off at the buzzer that went in to apparently tie the game. However, the officials ruled the shot came just after the final buzzer leaving the Roadrunners with a 2-point 61-59 region win.
Bia had a big night leading the team with 25 points. Taliman added 14; Rico, 9; Nelson, 7; Guerrero, Becenti, and Jah Castille each netted 2 in the win.
Holbrook made 14 of 21 charity tosses and hit three trifecta shots. Show Low’s Mason Briggs led all scorers with an impressive 30 point night. The Cougars made 10 of 19 free throws and hit nine 3-point shots.
With the two close wins Holbrook improved their regular season record to 9-2. They were ranked 10th in the 3A rankings prior to Friday’s win over the 33rd ranked Cougars.
This week Holbrook will travel to 22nd ranked Alchesay on Tuesday then host 27th ranked Blue Ridge on Friday.
Holbrook is 15-8 overall.
