After losing two heartbreakers in a four-day spand last week, the boys basketball team at Sedona Red Rock High rebounded to get a first-round victory in the 3A-West regional tournament on Monday, Feb. 4, over Wickenburg High, 60-55.

By Brian Bergner Jr.

Larson Newspapers

After losing two heartbreakers in a four-day spand last week, the boys basketball team at Sedona Red Rock High rebounded to get a first-round victory in the 3A-West regional tournament on Monday, Feb. 4, over Wickenburg High, 60-55.

“We won this game on effort. We played with heart and didn’t give up,” junior forward Luke Dumyahn said.

Dumyahn led the Scorpion charge with a career-high 26 points on 8-13 shooting including 4-6 from behind the three-point arc. He also added 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal to his stellar effort.

“I was feeling pretty good and I knew if we were going to win I had to step up my game,” Dumyahn said.

With the win, the Scorpions improve their record to 18-10 [7-5] overall on the season.

In the first quarter, Dumyahn missed his first three-point shot but then proceeded to hit his next six shots in a row including three threes.

Dumyahn’s 11 points in the first quarter allowed Sedona to take a 15-13 lead at the end of one quarter.

Wickenburg stormed back however and led by senior Paul Wells, the Wranglers outscored Sedona 18-14 in the second quarter to take a 31-29 lead at halftime.

“I think a couple of our guys are starting to mature as basketball players and are beginning to understand what we’re trying to do,” Sedona head coach Bob Murphy said.

That maturation process showed its head in the third quarter as the Scorpions locked down their defense which made it tough on the visiting Wranglers to do anything offensively.

In the third quarter, Sedona ran their offense effectively even without their star player, Michael Krajnak who was on the bench with three fouls and outscored Wickenburg 13-11 to tie the game at 42 a piece.

“A few guys needed to step up their game today and they did, and I’m proud of them for doing so,” Murphy said.

The Scorpions finally took care of the basketball down the stretch and only committed five turnovers the entire second half compared to 10 in the first half.

The ability to run the offense and not give the ball away benefitted the Scorpions as they were able to outscore the Wranglers 18-13 in the fourth quarter to claim the 60-55 victory.

Sedona was 15-26 from the free-throw line on the game and 9-18 in the second half, something that needs to improve, Murphy said, if the Scorpions are going to continue to win.

“We must shoot better than 50 percent,” Murphy said.

Other standouts included senior center Brandon Johnson who scored 10 points on 4-7 shooting and pulled down six rebounds and had one assist.

“We wanted it more than they did which is why we won. We need to continue to play at this level,” Johnson said.

Krajnak had a good night with 13 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore Kevin Cox had six points, two rebounds, three assists, two blocks and three steals.

“There were things we could have done better but I like the idea of just saying to ourselves, ‘let’s just go out and win,’” Murphy said.

Next up, the Scorpions will travel south to Goodyear and play the No. 1 team in the state, Estrella Foothills High, on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

Estrella Foothills, 25-2 [12-0], has beaten the Scorpions twice this season by an average of 40.5 points, but then again the Wolves have done that to everyone.

“We’ll be ready to play, you never know what can happen,” Murphy said.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Brian Bergner Jr. can be reached at 282-7795, Ext. 131, or e-mail to bbergner@larsonnewspapers.com