Tired YC falls to Parker

The Yuma Catholic girls basketball team played its fourth game in four days on Friday night.

And based off the Shamrocks’ shooting performance, it showed.

A poor night from the field led to a 49-36 loss to Parker at home and dealt the Shamrocks a blow for a chance for the playoffs.

Junior point guard Madison Brazeel scored a game-high 21 points but finished 4 for 19 for the Shamrocks, who shot 18 percent from the floor. Yuma Catholic’s other shooter, senior Makena Zamora, struggled as well, ending the night 2 of 18 for six points.

“Shots just weren’t dropping for us,” Brazeel said. “We couldn’t get anything to drop and we just ran out of gas.”

“I thought we played hard and dug in defensively, it’s just offensively we were settling for the first jump shot,” Yuma Catholic coach Bob McGalliard said.

Senior Shawni Laffoon had a team-high 18 points and senior Vanessa Oliveras added 10 for the Broncs, who connected on five 3-pointers.

The Shamrocks (9-7) got a tough draw in the second-to-last week of the regular season, going 2-2 in the four-day stretch. They won 66-14 at Ajo and beat San Pasqual 53-44 before losing 61-48 against River Valley and falling to Parker.

“We’ve had a long week. It’s tiring,” Brazeel said. “With a schedule like that, it’s hard to bounce back.”

Regardless, McGalliard wasn’t quick to blame the offensive woes solely on tired legs.

“Offensive execution wasn’t there and that has nothing to with having four games in four days,” McGalliard said. “We were coming down and settling on long jump shots and we can get that any time in our offense.”

Yuma Catholic jumped out to a quick lead with six points by Brazeel giving the Shamrocks an early 6-3 advantage. However, after a pair of Bronc baskets — including one by Oliveras made it 7-6 — Parker never trailed the rest of the night. The Shamrocks went on a 6-0 run late in the second quarter, but the momentum into halftime was stalled from a buzzer-beater 3-pointer by Parker senior guard Brie Miller. A basket by Yuma Catholic junior center Darci McAllister made it 29-24 midway through the third quarter but the Shamrocks never got closer than that.

“I had confidence in my team. I thought we could come back, I mean crazier things have happened,” Brazeel said. “Just in the end we didn’t have enough.”

Yuma Catholic may have some work to do in order to make the Division IV Section I playoffs. Entering the loss against Parker, the Shamrocks were No. 9 behind No. 8 Scottsdale Prep — with No. 10 San Pasqual, who won on Friday, knocking on the door. Scottsdale Prep ends the year at No. 5 Phoenix Country Day and at No. 1 Salt River and Yuma Catholic finishes at home against undefeated No. 3 Salome and on the road against Division III Tonopah Valley.

“We have to put everything on the court,” Brazeel said. “We’re going to try and do anything we can to get into the playoffs.”

Jesse Severson can be reached at jseverson@yumasun.com or at 539-6881. Find him on Facebook at facebook.com/YSJesseSeverson.