After a week layoff from games, Mesa High resumed action with a wire-to-wire victory over 6A East Valley Region rival Dobson.

The Jackrabbits played solid defense and received balanced scoring in defeating the host Mustangs, 53-37.

Strong first-halves from Josh Irish, Parker Escalante and Kota Benson jump-started Mesa to 38-20 advantage through two quarters. Irish finished with 12 points, Escalante 11 and Benson 10 along with his play-making from the point. Mesa is now 12-6 overall and 7-3 in power-ranking games. Dobson is 11-6, 6-3 prg. Mesa is unbeaten and in first place in the early going in region with a 3-0 mark.

"I liked our response from our last game at the McClintock Tournament," Mesa coach Scott Stansberry said, referring to a 66-42 loss to Basha. 

An 8-0 run over a two-and-a-half minute span of the first quarter broke a 3-3 tie and got things rolling for Mesa. The Jackrabbits bumped the lead to 20-8 by quarter's end and to the 18-margin it held at intermission. Benson and Irish had eight points each in the first half. Escalante added six and off the bench six points were added by Noah Hunt.

Dobson tried to get back in the game in the second half, but couldn't pare the deficit below 10. The closest the Mustangs got was 46-35 with 4:24 left in the fourth quarter.

Dobson was led in scoring by its top scorer for the season - Denton Latimore. Latimore finished with 15 points, about four points shy of his average. Donovan Beard was next with nine points for the Mustangs.

Mesa and Dobson prepare for two games apiece next week. The Jackrabbits are home Tuesday vs. Westwood and on the road Friday at Tucson High. The Mustangs are on the road for two region games - Tuesday vs. Red Mountain and Thursday vs. Westwood.

 

Dobson's Denton Latimore (15) draws a foul from Mesa's Noah Hunt (10) in Friday's region matchup. (Azpreps365 photo)