CAMP VERDE — Manny Tena scored 18 points, Alex Ruiz added 14, and Camp Verde beat Willcox 65-46 in the 28th annual Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shootout championship game on Tuesday night.

It is the fifth straight win for the Cowboys (10-5, 0-0 2A Central), which head into a difficult January stretch with 11 games during a 3-1/2-week stretch before hoping to qualify for the 2A state playoffs.

"We just have to keep it nice and slow, stay patient, and work our butts off. Just try to win this whole thing, that's our dream," Ruiz said about the upcoming January stretch of games. "We have to work hard, push every day at practice."

Led by Payton Wilson, who scored all 12 of his points in the period, Camp Verde used a 28-11 run in the third quarter after scoring just six points in the second period to put Willcox (7-4, 0-0 2A South) away.

J.D. Whetten scored 22 points for Willcox, and Ty Shull added 13 points on 7 of 10 shooting from the free-throw line and hit two 3-pointers.

Willcox coach Farbod Safavi said he's "proud" of his kids.

"Every one of our losses have been to quality, quality opponents. Camp Verde is an amazing team right now and they are moving the ball well, they are shooting the ball well, and they are well-coached," Safavi said. "Hats off to them. But our boys, they are playing extremly hard and there's never a moment where they let up. These types of games, tournaments, will hopefully make us better down the road."

The Cowboys have a difficult stretch in January as well, playing 10 games within 23 days.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.

The Willcox boys basketball team went 3-1 at the 28th annual Yvonne Johnson Memorial Shootout this week, losing only to tournament champion Camp Verde in the title game Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, by the final score of 65-46. (Brian M. Bergner Jr./AzPreps365)