Dominic Garramone is and ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Coronado High School for AZPreps365.com

After Mitch Armour took over as Coronado basketball coach in 2017, the program has seen a turnaround, the Dons will be in the state tournament for the first time since 2008.

They enter post-season play as the 16 seed at 17-8 and will host the 17 seed Fountain Hills Wednesday at 7 p.m. 

This will be Coronado’s third matchup of the season against its fellow Metro East rival. The Dons previously beat Fountain Hills 45-41 and recently 53-39.

“It’s really hard to beat a team three times in a row,” said Armour. But from the previous matchups he knows “they are very well coached and they are a dangerous spot-up shooting team.”
Armour said his team needs to “do the little things right.”

He does not want his team to over think the matchup. “If they catch you out of alignment, they are going to make you pay.”

At his final practice, Armour emphasized three things: focus, discipline and playing as a team.
“Discipline and willingness to be coachable” Armour said were the biggest factors that led to the Dons.

The 2020 roster is full of experience; the entire six-man rotation that Armour uses is made up juniors and seniors.

Armour had a unique position at Coronado’s feeder school in 2016. And as he transferred to be the basketball coach at the high school he was reunited with the same students he had coached and taught at the previous level. 

He said that time helped make his team so coachable. “I think it helps there because there is already a relationship there … and a trust formed.”

One player who has grown up with Armour is junior guard Daijon Safford. “We’ve known our coach since we started playing basketball so we know what he wants,” he said.

Armour has high expectations of his players off the court as well.

During the off-season the team grinded in the gym and the weight room almost everyday. And during the season, Armour hosts film sessions and study halls for his players in his classroom. 

Athletic Director Anthony Miller noticed. “He always has a full turn-out from his team unless they play another sport.” 

And after seeing big wins over 4A Saguaro and highly-ranked Gilbert Christian, Miller said, “Nothing would surprise me with this group of men.”
Added Armour: “At the end of the year there is only one team that finishes on a win … where we are at as a program I think this first win would be huge for the program. But however, if we do lose it does not negate the fact that we did have a great season.”