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Phantoms too much<br>for Music Mountain

The Grand Canyon High School boys basketball team posted a couple of its most lopsided victories ever in a sweep of Peach Springs Music Mountain last week but struggled in a nonconference matchup against Class 2A Williams.

Grand Canyon’s Ed Hazlett goes hard to the hoop vs. Williams Friday.

The Phantoms got off to a slow start against the Mustangs in Wednesday’s home game, actually trailing 9-5 with 5 minutes left in the first.

Grand Canyon went on a 17-4 run the rest of the quarter and there was no doubt as to the better team. Phantom sophomore guard Tempy Walker was on fire in the first, scoring 15 of the team’s 22 points.

The Phantoms continued to pull away, leading by 19 at halftime and 32 heading into the fourth. In the final quarter, Grand Canyon outscored the Mustangs, 19-1, to finish with a 50-point win.

Walker finished with 19 and Travis Schmidt had a season-high 15 points.

On Saturday, the story was not much different as the Phantoms won, 64-39. Richardson Tisi scored 19, which included five three-pointers, Walker had 17 and Miguel Davila scored 10.

Williams went on a big second-quarter spurt en route to a 71-45 win over the Phantoms on Saturday.

Grand Canyon got into an 8-0 hole in the first 3 1/2 minutes, which included a game-opening dunk by Donald Jenkins, but trailed just 16-10 after a three-pointer by Walker.

That would be as close as the Phantoms would get. Down 18-10 heading into the second, Grand Canyon was on the wrong end of a 23-4 run. When the smoke had cleared, Williams had a 41-14 lead at the half.

The only two Grand Canyon baskets in the second were scored by Davila — a hoop on a fast break and two points on free throws.

Grand Canyon didn’t find much offense until the fourth quarter. The Phantoms outscored Williams 21-16 in those eight minutes, nearly equalling their offensive output from the first three quarters combined.

"Against Williams, we shot poorly," GC boys coach Dan Lopez said. "We were 3-for-24 from three-point range ... and 9-for-47 from two-point range. With rebounding there was not a big disparity, they had more offensive boards, we just couldn’t make a basket."

Tisi led Grand Canyon with 13 while Walker finished with 12.

Williams’ Jenkins was dominating and finished with 32.

Grand Canyon took a 5-5 conference mark and 7-10 overall record into a Monday game against conference rival Ash Fork. The game was played after presstime.

The Phantoms now turn their attention to a Friday home game against Northland Prep, which will be a probable win. Grand Canyon crushed the Flagstaff school twice earlier this season. The contest will include varsity only and is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.

Grand Canyon then heads to Fredonia Saturday for a key conference game with tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

In junior-varsity action Friday, Grand Canyon beat Williams, 39-35. It was the third straight win for the JV team.

The Phantoms pulled away with three hoops in the final 53 seconds. Juan Davila scored and then Dennis Booth slammed the door shut by scoring with 30 and 10 seconds left.

Grand Canyon (3-5) was led by Juan Davila’s 12 and Booth’s 10. Ryan Eck added eight.

The Phantoms play at Fredonia Saturday.


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