On Dec 2nd the Trojans took on the Apache Junction Prospectors and blew them out with a score of 103-18. The Trojan basketball season is just getting into full swing, but they are coming out as a dominate force. So far the Trojans have an overall record of 4-3 and are ranked 1st in their region. Their coach
Mark Lovelady is in his 2nd year of being the head coach for the girls varsity basketball program. He coaches along side
Blake Silves who is one of the assistant coaches for the the girls varsity basketball program.
Coach Lovelady when asked to speak on the team this year said "We want to play fast, we want to apply pressure for 32 minutes, and we want to stretch the floor with all five players. When every starter is a legitimate three-point threat, it changes how teams have to defend us and fuels our up-tempo identity. What makes this group special is that it's not one player carrying the load—it's all five. With everyone capable of hitting multiple threes and defending full court, we become incredibly hard to guard and even harder to prepare for."
This game was a breeze for the Trojans , but still was a great opportunity for the girls to prepare for further games this season. This game was a game to help focus the Trojans on the season ahead and give them more practice. This game marks the 4th consecutive win against the prospectors over the past few years.
Team leaders in this game were:
- Abby Grier '27 who had an average 22.7 points per game as well as 7.7 rebounds per game
- Ellie Phillips '26 had an amazing 8.3 assists per game and shows just how important it is to be selfless in the game
- Kendall Rice '27 took every opportunity that she was given to get a steal leading her to having 3.3 steals per game.
On December 5th the Trojans faced off against ALA West Foothills in a showdown. The Trojans beat the Guardians 68-33. The Trojans earlier this week faced off against Apache Junction where they had a high scoring win.
In this game the Trojans were able to carry their offensive momentum. Seeing the team play as a unit is definitely one factor that has helped the Trojans be able to score so well this season. This team shows impressive teamwork and drive even in the early beginnings of their season.
Key performances from the Trojans included
Ellie Phillips '26 with 8.4 assists per game
Abby Grier '27 with 22.3 points per game,
Addison Krupnik '28 with 9 rebounds per game , and
Kendall Rice '27 with 3.9 steals per game.
Even though this game the Trojans didn't play their best they still pulled off a win. The Trojans continue and make adjustments with each game they play. With this win the Trojans brought their record to 5-3.
Senior
Ellie Phillips who has played all 4 years speaks on this year's team:"We are super excited to see what we can do this year. The team we have plays really fast and runs the floor really well. The way we move the ball is better than I've seen all four years I have been here. We are far ahead of where we were at this time last year and I can't wait to see how much farther we can go! Go Trojans!"
The Trojans then faced off against Payson on the road on December 6th to battle the Longhorns, and pulled off a 65-35 win. This season, the girls have had huge margin wins with all past 4 games this season being by 30 or more points. On the court, they came out full force, sweeping the court with their opponents
Team leaders from this game included:
Though still early into the season, the Trojans looked ready to hold onto their 1st place ranking in the 3A central conference. They moved Valley Christian's new record to 6-3 with this win. Their offensive performances have helped them be able to stretch holding 69.3 points average per game. Their offensive is fast and takes every chance they can to attack the basket.
December 9th the Trojans battled it out with Yuma Catholic. This was a huge game for the Trojans since Yuma has always been a big rival. Unfortunately the Trojans fell short in a close game, with a score of 54-52.
Both Valley and Yuma scored 11 ending quarter 1 with a tie. In quarter 2 the Trojans put up 11 and the Shamrocks put up 10. Valley Christian barely kept an edge over Yuma. The Shamrocks weren't going to make this a easy game. This was a tough game for the Trojans due to the fact that everything the Trojans did Yuma seemed to match. The Trojans were able hold their edge over Yuma in quarter 3 putting up 18 points while Yuma only put up 15. The last quarter of the game was where the tables turned. Valley was holding on to their small lead the whole game until 4th quarter. The Shamrocks finally got the lead scoring 18 while Valley was only able to put up 12. Even though this wasn't the outcome the Trojans expected they played their hearts out and are ready to come back stronger.
Valley's new record is 6-4 overall and still ranked 1st in their region. The Trojans next game is away against Justin Siena on December 27th at 10:30 am.
