The 4A Apache Junction Prospectors (0-11) faced off against the 1A Baboquivari Warriors (8-1) on Dec. 15. The Prospectors were hoping to defeat their lower-division opponent for their first win of the season.

Tip-off began at 5:34 p.m., where the Warriors won the tip. The first quarter proved to be a defensive slugfest as neither team could seemingly grasp momentum. However, the Warriors grabbed an early 13-3 lead. But a phenomenal shot from Prospectors’ Biagio Castagnola from deep as the buzzer went off added three more points to the Prospectors’ total.

The second quarter was riddled with turnovers by both teams. Neither opponent could get on a good run. But some great defense from the Warriors held the Prospectors to only two points for the quarter’s entirety, with the score 21-8 with a Warriors’ lead heading into the half.

After a slightly longer halftime due to a Christmas performance from the Apache Junction cheerleaders, the third quarter was underway. Consistent travels and turnovers from Apache Junction did not help their cause of getting back into the game, as the Warriors capitalized on their opportunities and put up another 10 points in the quarter while holding the Prospectors to only five. The lead extended to 31-13 at the end of the third.

Perhaps the best quarter of Apache Junction basketball so far this year occurred in the final eight minutes of the game. The players tried their best to march back into the game, however, it was too little too late as the Warriors were able to hold onto their lead. It was a great effort from the Prospectors as they put up 14 points in the game’s final quarter.

The Prospectors will continue to look for their first win at home against the Superior High School Panthers on Dec. 27, while the Baboquivari Warriors will look to make it six in a row at a tournament game against the Marcos de Niza Padres on Dec. 21.

Editor’s note: Isaac Robertson is a high school intern who currently covers sports writing for Apache Junction Unified School District. He is a senior at Mesa Virtual Campus, is to graduate this December, and plans to attend ASU with a major in sports journalism.