After Sedona Red Rock High School plays Williams High School at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 20, the Scorpions will have played their 16th organized summer boys basketball game in the past two weeks.

Add two open gyms a week to those games and the sum total is a lot of basketball.

It’s the best way to improve: That’s the philosophy of head coach C.J. Sells, who is charged with rebuilding the Scorpions program after the departure of seven seniors.

“We’re gaining valuable experience,” Sells said after a 58-41 win Tuesday, June 16, over Chino Valley High School — the first for the Scorpions in seven summer games. “We only have two kids playing this summer that have played a varsity minute — Walker Cox and Wyatt Stevenson — so our young guys [are] getting lots of quality minutes versus some good competition.”

Cox and Stevenson’s brother, Dawson, look to form the core of a smaller but more balanced varsity in the post as juniors, while Wyatt Stevenson will be one of the team’s senior leaders as a wing.

They and 13 other SRRHS hoops hopefuls will be playing other competition at game speed in their final weekend tournament at home this summer Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20.

For the full story, schedule and more photos, please see the Friday, June 19, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.