Mesa Mtn. View jumps on Monarch early, wins TOC girls game

December 20, 2011 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesa Mountain View girls basketball coach Henry Briebiescas likes playing in tournaments. Especially when his team is performing as well as it has thus far.

Mountain View led by as many as 14 points in the first quarter and was on top by double digits the final three periods Tuesday afternoon as the Toros blasted Monarch High (Louisville, Colo.), 63-42,  in the 16th annual Nike Tournament of Champions play at Basha High School.

"We came out today and played the way we did at La Jolla (La Jolla Country Day Sweet Sixteen tournament earlier this month)." Briebiescas said. "We came out focused, shot well and we were patient. They are one of the best  teams in Colorado.As well as we played we took them apart."

Junior post Jordan Jensen tallied 18 points to lead Mountain View (12-1). She did much of the dirty work inside and on the boards and also made all eight of her free-throw attempts. Senior guard Arnecia Hawkins, an ASU signee, added 12 points despite sitting out a few minutes in the first half and all of the third period.

"(Arnecia) had three fouls at the half and we decided not to start her in the third quarter," Bribiescas said. "We played very well in the quarter and decided to keep her on the bench the whole quarter and have her fresh for the fourth. We had other players step up, including a couple of freshmen."

Freshman guards Armani Hawkins (younger sister of Arnecia), scored 10 points off the bench and Sabrina Haines chipped in seven all in th first half. Guard Morgan Pennell picked up the perimeter slack with Arnecia Hawkins on the bench in the third and sank two threes to keep the lead steady. Without Hawkins, Mountain View extended its 13-point halftime lead to 19 after three periods.

For he first three periods Mountain View shot 53 percent from the field, which included six threes. Four different players made at least one three. Defensively, Monarch's top player -- Alexus Johnson -- was limited to 12 points and just eight field-goal attempts. Johnson is headed to Grambling State next fall.

Mountain View advances to Wednesday's Mike Desper Division semifinals where it will face Lynwood, Calif. at 4:30 p.m. at Basha High.