AZSPORTSNETWORK

Hello 2A fans!

Are you watching what is happening to the race for the championship??!!

First we have the injury situation for SCA as their big man had to have surgery and may be out for the rest of the year. We wish him the best.

But Valley Christian, who I have thought was an average to above average team has made both SCA and WWP look human with 9 and 10 point losses respectively. Now do not get me wrong here. I mean that with a lot of respect but VC has had some exceptional teams in the past.

I think what we may be seeing now is a 2A tournament with favorites but it is now cloudier than ever. SCA still has tons of players who can play ball but that is a huge loss. I see VC steadily improving and will be a dangerous team come playoff time. I think the chink in the armor for both SCA and WWP have been a sign that although the favorites anything can happen and the 2A playoffs may be better than expected.

Lets take a look at the teams who could make a run if WWP and SCA faltering no particular order:

1. Valley Christian: Good shooting team with real good coaching. if they hit the trey they are dangerous and they can run. The x-factor is they shoot real good from the free throw line. have faced some real good teams and are battle tested.

2. Thatcher: They lost tons of seniors and their HC and what have they done? Nothing but turned a rebuilding season into a reloading season. They have some excellent players who can shoot with some size and are peaking at the right time.

3. San Carlos: When you can run and shoot and press and you have one of the best players in Antonio in 2A you always have a chance. I am looking forward to their game with Benson in Benson later in the season.

4. Many Farms: This team can outright fly and I can see them upsetting a team or two in the playoffs. They are very deep and have some very good talent.

5. Benson: This is my dark-horse in 2A. If you notice I am not saying sleeper. To me a sleeper is a team who comes on and nobody knows about them. They are a dark-horse because after taking Safford to triple over-time before losing they showed they can be a very good team. In their win vs Pima I came away with a team that just may not have the depth and a team that really had to pick things up. Against Safford I saw them do both. What has to happen for them is to continue to make sure Dastrup is involved in the offense and defense. With him involved it takes a lot away from the pressure of Graf and Denewith. But they need the other 2 players to step it up and contribute day in and day out. I mention 2 other players is because the weakness with this team is the depth. They have 5 players and the rest are young and inexperienced who work hard but foul trouble can be their demise come playoff time.

On the girls side all I can say is yawwwwwwwwwwwn. Actually I am joking but right now it seems this may be a two-legged race between PC and VC with only a chance of an upset in the making. The worst case scenario is gonna be if PC and VC end up on the same side of the brackets based on ppts.

Lets look at the contenders in 2A and who can upset some teams and maybe make some noise. Once again not in any particular order:

Strong Contenders with a legit shot:

1. Pima: The Rough Riders are a very good team. They have excellent players, and Bryce gives them that go to girl as well to match vs some of the other teams. But they also have some good coaching. What makes this team dangerous is their ability to play strong defense and wear you down. They sit in that 2-3 and just make it hard for you to get easy baskets. They also have the ability to play the pressure game and run the floor.

2. ALA: A very talented team who has a good inside game and can run. Their strength is their defense and quickness. The weakness though is they do not score a lot of points vs good teams and that could be their problem come playoff time.

3. SCA: This team is borderline and legit contender. They beat who they are suppose to but have not done much against the stronger teams in my opinion but can be a dangerous team.

4. Many Farms: I really like this team. They can press and shoot and have 2 really good guards. if this team gets the correct match-ups they can go far. They have defeated some good North teams and with their upset of Chinle has shown they are ready and peaking for the playoffs.

5. PRCA: Now I say this with all the respect in the world but this team comes nowhere close to the teams of the past for PRCA but.....it is the mystique of the Lions past that has allowed them to stay and win this season. Let me explain: because of their mystique I have seen coaches play right into the strength of this team which is their slower half-court offense going inside to their 2 big girls. I have sat in the stands and watched as running teams, being content to stay close with them have totally played a slow half-court game with PRCA and lose but in the stands parents are happy and it seems the coaches as well??? I am mentioning this because it is the teams themselves that have allowed PRCA to become a very dangerous team come the playoffs! Their weakness is the guard play and running game. But because of the past the teams do not want to do that and play the slow game with them. Their weakness is to run and press them and not allow the 2 inside girls the chance to hurt you. Plus you get them tired and force the big girls to the bench. The teams that have done that have success as I saw a very young Benson team do this early in the season. But now they are a legit top 8 team and it will all be based on the match-ups. if they go against a team that will run and press they can get an early exit. if not they may well see them going deep into the playoffs. So instead of PRCA coming in as an average team their confidence has grown because of their mystique and coaches allowing them to be in games they had no business winning.

6. San Carlos: They had some girls injured and not sure who is back. We will see when they face PRCA who they have and how good they are entering the late season playoff run.

Upset teams:

1. Thatcher: They have a solid team and can go far or lose quicker than expected.

2. North Team: Just pick one and it can happen. The favorite to be Grey Hills.

3. Camp Verde: They are a solid average team with good coaching and experience in the playoffs. They can hurt a team or two come playoff team. They are actually my dark-horse team on the girls side.

4. Tombstone: Size and fast guards. if they make the playoffs the jackets could be a final 8 team if they play to their style and the girls lack of experience does not haunt them.

5. Willcox: They seem to be playing much better and you cannot count them out for an upset or two.

6. Bisbee: They can be tough one night and awful the next but can sneak in a game or two possibly.

and lastly what is with this Tonopah team??? Are they the real deal or just having a decent season without a real chance??!! I say a real good season with a chance at an early round upset.