Adam Schwager is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Alhambra for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX — After spending the majority of the last two weeks in quarantine due to COVID-19, the Alhambra Lions boys basketball team came out cold on Saturday morning. Their lack of practice was on full display, as they fell easily to South Mountain (4-12), 77-49, in a 6A Metro match up.

“We’re real sloppy since we’ve been out for 10 days,” Alhambra coach Ernest Cobb said. “To come back with all this adversity — quarantine for 10 days out of school, have to make up the work … these kids are remarkable.”

Senior forward Jeff Zean led Alhambra with 15 points, albeit with several turnovers on the way. 

“(Zean) was a bit overexcited,” Cobb said. “What I love about him is he thinks he can take the whole team. But he's got to be a little smarter. But overall the effort is there and that's all I can ask for considering we’re out of sync and haven't played for 10 days.”

Despite overcoming COVID challenges off the court, the Lions could not keep up with the non-stop pressure from the Jaguars on the court. South Mountain coach Marlon Rhymes had his young team in a full-court press from the opening tip-off until he put in his reserves with three minutes remaining in the game. The press caused all sorts of havoc for the Lions, who were whistled for traveling nearly a dozen times while attempting to advance the ball upcourt. 

“When you have a young team, (you’ve) got to teach them (that) when they smell blood, you got to be aggressive,” Rhymes said. “I want to get them to learn how to win, build a culture of winning and not let teams back in.”

In his first year as South Mountain’s varsity coach, Rhymes has tried to develop an underclassmen-heavy squad into a team that can compete in years to come. 

The Jaguars opened with a difficult schedule, facing four Top-10 6A teams in their first seven games. Since opening the season 0-8, the Jaguars won four of their last eight and are heavily favored in their final two matches.

The Jaguars’ promising young guards, Archie Graves and Tyquan Soloman, stepped up in a big way. Graves, a freshman standout who never left the court for the first 33 minutes, controlled the offense with 21 points and six assists. Solomon, a sophomore shooting guard and Cesar Chavez transfer, added 16 points of his own. 

South Mountain freshman Archie Graves warms up before the game. | Adam Schwager

Solomon had to sit out the first half of the season due to AIA transfer rules. Since Solomon became eligible, the connection between Graves and him has greatly contributed to South Mountain’s second-half success.

“Me and Tyquan got a lot of chemistry,” Graves said. “We’re very close. We know each other's spots and we know each other’s shots.”

Before the game, Rhymes said Graves was the best player in the 6A Metro. 

“(Tyquan) Solomon and Archie Graves, man, (you’re) going to hear those names in the future,” Rhymes said.

The Lions' next challenge will be traveling to face the North Mustangs on Monday night at 7 p.m. The Mustangs have won five of the last six and are currently No. 1 in the 6A Metro. 

South Mountain will close out its schedule with two rematches, beginning with a home contest on Monday at 7 p.m. against Maryvale, whom the Jaguars defeated 50-36 last week. That will be followed by a home rematch against Alhambra on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

“Going into these two games, we want to win by 20 or more,” Rhymes said. “Just like I said, (we want to) give these guys experience and build a winning culture. That’s what we want to do.”