Hard Lessons, Big Takeaways for Muckers at Arizona Tournament

Both the Muckers and Lady Muckers struggled to find consistency in the Holiday Shootout Tournament in Bullhead City, Arizona. 

Facing much bigger schools, tough competition, and early-season adjustments, the boys fell 3-1, and the girls lost 2-1 in tournament play. These were the last preseason games both teams will play before league play begins on Jan. 3, 2026, against Coleville at home. 

“In the first half, we battled well and were able to keep games close, even through three quarters. The presses eventually wore us down, and we were forced to rotate people into positions they weren’t very comfortable in yet, and that’s when the scores opened up a lot on us,” said boys' Head Coach Clint Hess. 

Many other factors played into the outcome of the tournament, as well. 

“Long travel always takes a toll on teams, no matter how you look at it,” said Hess. “Ten hours on a bus, 7 hours of sleep, then playing a 9 a.m. game. Not the most ideal situation for trying to get our best basketball played, but we battled well and did the best we could.”

Helping lead the Muckers was Luke Branson, who averaged 21 points, and Derek McCoy, who averaged 12.4 points. 

Despite the score, the boys were able to learn valuable lessons and identify areas for improvement before league play begins. 

“If we battle well and if we can defend well, we will have chances to win games in the end, which is the goal,” said Hess. “We learned a lot about ourselves in Arizona, and it will all benefit us moving forward.”

Not only that, but it gave both teams a chance to spend time together and build more off-the-court chemistry. 

As for the girls, it was another short-handed weekend. First of all, star player Haylee Walters has been ruled out until Jan. 10 due to illness. 

On top of that, multiple players were out for personal and academic reasons, too, leaving the Lady Muckers to compete with only six players. 

The girls never gave up, though, and were able to pick up a nice victory with a game-winning shot from Danika Baker.