By Don Ketchum

A week off was a welcome relief for the boys’ basketball team from Phoenix Arcadia.

The Titans were able to clear their minds and rest their legs for the final three games of the regular season.

The first of those games came on Friday night (Jan. 27), when the team traveled to face Phoenix Paradise Valley.

After a touch-and-go first quarter, Arcadia responded with a 15-8 run in the second quarter and went on to earn a 56-40 triumph in a contest between the teams from Division II, Section III.

“This was a very big win for us,’’ said Arcadia coach Luke Neibling. “We knew coming in it was important, power points-wise. To walk out of here on top is very big.’’

Arcadia was No. 1 in power points entering this week and Paradise Valley was No. 2. Arcadia raised its record to 19-6. Paradise Valley, which fell to Scottsdale Saguaro earlier in the week, fell to 21-4.

Friday night’s win was even more significant, given the fact that the Titans were dominated at home by Paradise Valley 74-51 on Jan. 5.

Neibling said that star guard Larry Lewis was limited to about 12 minutes because of foul trouble in the first encounter, and this time was played a much bigger role. He finished with 21 points.

Guard Andrew Naderer scored 14 points, and forward Terrol Wilson had 10, including a jam that put an exclamation point on the proceedings with about 1 ½ minutes left.

Arcadia led 25-20 at the half and increased its lead to 29-22 in the early moments of the third quarter. But Paradise Valley cut the lead back down to a point with back-to-back 3-pointers from Ryan Finley and Chris Davis. Finley led the Trojans with 15 points.

Arcadia outscored the Trojans 12-3 over the final 4:26 of the third, and scored the first two baskets of the fourth to gain a firm grip.

“Going into this game, we told the kids it was now a three-game season, that we wanted to finish strong to put us in the best position possible going into the playoffs,’’ Neibling said.

Arcadia finishes with a road game at Phoenix South Mountain on Jan. 31 and a home game against Scottsdale Saguaro on Feb. 3. Paradise Valley hosts Saguaro on Jan. 31 and has a home game against Flagstaff Coconino on Feb. 2.