Desert Edge Scorpions basketball senior forward Shay Cain had a team-high 12 points, along with five rebounds and a block, mid-way through the fourth quarter of a tight game against Deer Valley on Feb. 26.
His contribution, along with solid play from the rest of the Scorpions, had Desert Edge up nearly the whole game.
But Cain committed his fifth and final foul contesting a Deer Valley shot, and was taken out of the game. The situation was eerily similar to a game the Scorpions played last season.
“It was kind of like a flashback but even worse because it’s happening again," Cain said.
Desert Edge led Deer Valley by 9 in the first round of the 2019-20 playoffs when Cain fouled out in what would become the final game of his junior season. The Skyhawks mounted a comeback and won that game, 63-60.
It looked like history might repeat itself on Friday night, as Deer Valley stormed back and took a 51-50 lead with less than a minute to play. Without two of their top three scorers down the stretch - Cain fouled out and senior guard Amarei Hunter suffered a leg injury in the second quarter - the Scorpions were scrambling, trying to pull out the win.
Senior wing Jake Clapper passed to senior guard Adrian Banuelos, who took a couple dribbles left, stepped back and hit a contested jumper to put the Scorpions up a point. Following a made free throw on the next possession and a defensive stop at the buzzer, Desert Edge prevailed 53-51.
“They’ve been competition for us for four years, so to finally win like that in this game feels really good," Banuelos said.
A close victory over an opponent the Scorpions have battled with for years was emblematic of Desert Edge's progression. The Scorpions' five starters are all seniors, all of whom have grown with the program and become the vocal and emotional leaders.
The journey from a losing team as sophomores, to a group led by juniors last season that bowed out early in the playoffs, to now a team that believes it can contend with the best in 4A, culminated in a moment coach Scott Lovely called 'extremely important.'
"(The Skyhawks) always go really hard, so our guys have had to learn that we had to compete at that same energy level. Tonight was the perfect time for them to put it all together and actually do that," Lovely said.
The starters play with a lot of passion. Major baskets and stops are often greeted with several seniors slapping hands and cheering each other on. Cain said it provides a spark of energy to the Scorpions.
This group has always been this way. The difference now, though, is that the veteran players understand better that they need to channel that energy positively.
"We need to keep calm and play at our pace late in the fourth quarter. We do a pretty good job of that, but sometimes against good teams we get a little bit frantic, so it’s just keeping our composure too," Cain said.
The Scorpions have just three games remaining in the 2020-21 season, in which they will attempt to improve and raise their seed in the 4A playoffs. While their final record and ranking is still to be determined, Desert Edge has found an identity it will ride to as much success as possible in 2021.
"We’re getting it to all finally click together," Banuelos said.
As Cain, the team's leading scorer, watched his teammates pull out a victory in the final seconds, there was a lot to be excited about.
"I’m super proud of how they came together and played like a team and exceeded their ability," Cain said.
“We’re just neighborhood kids, played middle school ball together and grew up together, so this journey started even before we got to high school. So right now we’re exactly where we need to be because we've learned a lot of lessons."
Desert Edge (10-3) is set to host Cactus (4-8) on March 2.
Support our sponsors:
Make sure to follow ArizonaVarsity.com on social platforms for more daily content!
Twitter (Main)
Twitter (Preps)
