Mesa High holds fast to hot start, tops Brophy Prep, 79-72

January 28, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesa High is not taking the 5A Fiesta Region by storm in boys basketball if final scores are the indicator. The wins, however, continue to pile up for the Jackrabbits.

With almost a wire-to-wire performance on Friday night, Mesa used a torrid start at both ends of the floor to post a 79-72 victory over visiting Brophy Prep.

Mesa (15-4, 6-0) usually finishes games with ASU-bound standout Jahii Carson and backcourt mate Desmon Medder as the lone Jackrabbits scoring in double figures. Friday was different with Mesa's entiring starting lineup enjoying double-digit offensive nights Mesa won its eighth straight game dating back to Jan. 4. Brophy is now 14-7, 3-3.

Carson led the way with 29 points. Medder chipped in with 10. The added offensive help came from Anthony Garcia and Trent Molesworth, who tallied 15 points and 14, respectively. Charles Croxen finished with nine points. Mesa has won three of its Fiesta Region games by two points or less. Its average margin of victory in Fiesta play is five points. 

"The way people play us we're going to get some good shots," Mesa coach Shane Burcar said. "If we make those it's going to make it tough on whoever we play. We shot very well tonight. I thought that and our defensive intensity early were the difference."

Indeed. Garcia opened the game hitting his four of his first five shots. Three of those were 3s -- two in the first quarter. Molesworth also sank a 3 in the opening period as Mesa bolted to a 16-4 lead. Helping the cause were five Brophy turnovers, four of which resulted in Mesa baskets.

Carson took only two shots in the first quarter, but made his presence felt the most in the second period when he scored 12 of his 29. Mesa took a 40-31 lead at halftime. Mesa shot 59 percent from the field for the night and at least 50 percent in every quarter.

Brophy managed to stay within 10 points mostly due to the play of 6-foot-7 senior Sai Tummala. Tummala had a brilliant game, leading all scorers with 33 points. Tummala scored from everywhere. He hit a couple of 3s, several other perimeter shots and was tough on the offensive boards.

Foul trouble hampered Brophy's defensive effort with the Broncos quickest guards - Chris Pierre and Fred Gammage -- in and and out of the lineup much of the game.

Mesa's biggest lead came with 5:59 left in the game -- 66-50. Brophy called a timeout at that point and proceeded to go on a 16-4 run that put the Broncos within four with 1:33 left.

Fvie free throws by Croxen and Molesworth stopped  Brophy from getting  any closer.

"We have to clean up what happened at the end," Burcar said. "That shouldn't be happening. You have to credit Brophy's pressure for some of it."