By Don Ketchum

Boys basketball players from Anthem Boulder Creek have been busier than shoppers trying to find a holiday bargain.

The defending Class 5A Division II state champion Jaguars will be playing in their third tournament of the holidays beginning Tuesday (Dec. 28) when they play their first game in the 53^rd annual Hobbs (N.M.) Tournament. Hobbs is one of the most storied programs in the southwestern U.S.

Teams normally are allowed to play in just two holiday tournaments, but Boulder Creek was granted an exception by the Arizona Interscholastic Association because the team played in the AIA-sponsored Border Classic in Chinle last week. Boulder Creek won its two games in that event and finished third in the MidFirst Horizon Invitational that ended Dec. 18.

Boulder Creek coach Randy Walker admitted he was concerned at first about an overload of work, but said the players have adjusted. He fears also subsided a bit when he looked at the schedule after the tournaments and realized that Boulder Creek doesn’t play again until Friday, Jan. 7 at Kingman, which is a 5A Northwest Region game. Most of the other Arizona teams resume post-holiday play on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

Boulder Creek will play three games in the Hobbs tournament, starting with Bishop McGuinness High of Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Phoenix Maryvale also is in the Hobbs tournament and will meet host Hobbs on the first day.

“We are honored to be invited to the Hobbs tournament,’’ Walker said.

His team has ties to Hobbs. Ed Newell, father of Boulder Creek player Weston Newell, played for Hobbs back in the day.

“There is a lot of tradition with the tournament,’’ Walker said.

The Jaguars also enjoyed their participation in the Border Classic. That included being involved in a community-service project, which in this case meant helping to distribute about 1,400 turkeys to residents of the Navajo Nation.

“One of the people they (players) delivered to was a 93-year-old blind woman. Helping people like that really made everything worthwhile,’’ Walker said.

After losing a few key players from last year’s title team, Boulder Creek found itself trying to adjust to a few new players as well as some of the challenges that come with being the defending champ.

“We talked a lot about that (being the champion),’’ Walker said. “We know that teams are going to play well against us. It means a lot to them (opponents) to try to beat us, so we have to be ready to play every night.

Boulder Creek is 8-3 thus far.

“The first couple weeks were spent trying to find our identity,’’ Walker said. “I think we’re finding it now, finding our rhythm.’’