Sports360AZ
As a number 23 seed, the Perry Pumas of Gilbert found themselves as one of the last teams into the Division I playoffs. That opportunity gave Perry Head Coach Mark Nold and his team the opportunity to get in extra work which proved to be the difference in this game.
The North Mustangs came into the game as one of the hotter teams in the state having won 10 of their last 12 games including games against tough opponents in Westview and Cesar Chavez, who are both seeded higher than North in the Division I tournament.
Perry had an answer for that aggressive 3/4 court trap that North plays and it resulted in a lot of high percentage shots for big man Lucas O’Brien. And despite making the game close in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs were upset by the Pumas 63-53.
“We are as good as any team when we are playing well,” Coach Nold said after the game.
Perry moves on to play a team who is down the street from them in the seventh seeded Basha Bears on Saturday. Both teams very familiar with each other twice this season, Perry leaving with a loss both times.
For more on the Arizona High School basketball tournament, follow Jared Cohen on twitter at @JaredPros2preps.
