Mtn. View girls, Fairfax boys win Mesa HOF hoops games

November 22, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


It was a neat way to open the high school basketball season Tuesday night at Mesa Mountain View High School.

A boys and girls twinbill featuring Fairfax, the defending 5A-II boys champ, against defending 5A-I champ Mesa Mountain View. The game prior matched Tolleson's girls, the three-time defending 5A-II champs, against Mountain View's 5A-I final four program of last year. All wrapped around the honoring of the latest class of inducteeds in the City of Mesa Sports Hall of Fame, now in its 20th year.

The basketball results of the 1st annual City of Mesa Hall of Fame games were a Fairfax triumph in the boys game, 48-40, and Mountain View prevailing over Tolleson, 46-33, in the girls contest.

Fairfax got a game-high 19 points from newcomer Stacy Davis and controlled its game with Mountain View from start to finish. Davis, a senior, transferred from Tolleson to join the Stampede. Veteran senior point guard LeJon Johnson, who averaged 13 points a game last year for the state champs, added 10 points as Fairfax made Mountain View's top returning player, Camyn Boone, work hard for all of his 18 points.

Fairfax played an aggressive, pressure defense and limited Mountain View to 30 percent shooting from the field (12-of-40).  Mountain View, which trailed 13-5 after the first period,  led only once in the game, 14-13. That , after opening the second period with a 9-0 run. Fairfax regained the lead quickly. It led 21-18 at halftime and never trailed again opening up a double-digit lead early in the fourth period.

The night did go better for Mountain View's girls as two of its standouts from last season -- post Jordan Jensen and guard Arnecia Hawkins -- combined for 36 points. Jensen tallied 20, 14 of those in he pivotal third quarter. The teams were tied at 16 at halftme, but Jensen's size and strength was too much for Tolleson to handle.

Jensen started slowly picking up two quick fouls in the first quarter and sitting out six minutes of the period. She managed one basket in the second period, but definitely was the Toros go-to person after intermission. Jensen had her way with everyone Tolleson coach Todd Nelson used to defend Jensen. Mountain View took advantage of foul trouble in that period (four fouls on Tolleson's Bri White) with seven minutes left in th third. White sat out the rest of the third period that saw Mountain View outscore Tolleson, 18-7.

Hawkins scored 10 of her 16 points in the first half, to keep Mountain View close as both teams struggled offensively. Senior guard Desiree Smith paced Tolleson with 18 points.

The City of Mesa Sports Hall of Fame inducted 10 new members one night earlier in a ceremony at Westwood High school. The 2011 inductees are Jeremy Accardo, Mesa High (baseball); Brian Gray, Dobson (track); Sharise Blau, Red Mountain (swimming); Sammy Moore, Westwood (track); Chris Patience, Mountain View (swimming); Chez Reavie, Dobson (golf); Matt Brooks, Red Mountain (golf); Joel Anderson, Mountain View (wrestling); Tyler Johnson, Dobso (swimming) and Kristen Stuart, Westwood (track). The newest coach to be inducted is David Hines, who coached state championship teams in boys track at Mesa High and girls cross country at Red Mountain. Hines was also athletic director at Mountain View from 1996-2008 and is currently a tournament coordinator for the AIA.