Arizona teams like TOC competition, but struggle for wins
December 21, 2010 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365
Five of the 18 Arizona teams competing in this week's Nike Tournament of Champions I in Chandler and Tempe were undefeated when the annual tourney began.
After two games and two days of the tournament, none of the five remain unbeaten. And no Arizona team is in contention to win any of the six divisions after Monday's play. Arizona's overall record through Monday's games is 10-25.
Teams entering the tournament with perfect records were St. Mary's, Chandler, Xavier, Mesa Mountain View and Hamilton. St. Mary's and Chandler lost in their first games of the tournament on Saturday. Xavier, Mountain View and Hamilton lost on Monday in winners bracket games. Arizona's last hope to reach a semifinal was Pinnacle, but the Pioneers couldn't hang on to an early lead and lost to Clackamas, Ore., 56-46.
The most competitive region in 5A is arguably the Fiesta with Hamilton, Chandler, Xavier and Desert Vista all off to good starts. Each is 1-1 so far in the Nike TOC.