Mojave still Poised to Repeat
Mojave High School's basketball team showed their resilience and determination as they battled their way back from a halftime deficit to secure a 72-60 victory against Cheyenne High School on Thursday. With the win, the Rattlesnakes remain in strong contention to repeat as champions in the NIAA 4A Championship Playoffs. The atmosphere was electric as the gym was filled to capacity with students and alumni from both schools. The rivalry between these two teams is a long-standing one, and it showed in the intensity of the game.
After a slow start that saw them trailing by six points at halftime, Mojave came out firing in the second half. Led by the dynamic duo of G. Chapman and CJ Shaw, the Rattlesnakes mounted a comeback that left the Desert Shields reeling. Mojave's defense was the key to their success, limiting their opponents to just eight points in the third quarter while converting turnovers into fast-break points.
In the final period, Mojave's offense exploded, scoring 25 points to put the game out of reach. The Home crowd erupted as the Rattlesnakes silenced the Desert Shield's fans with their dominant performance.
When asked about the turnaround in the second half, Coach Clark credited his team's fighting spirit. He said that he simply told his players to show him that they wanted to win. And they certainly did, with Chapman and Shaw combining for an impressive 42 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.
But the Rattlesnakes will face another tough challenge in their next game as they take on the Rancho Rams, led by defensive stalwart R'Zah Whittle and exciting sophomore guard Jakoi Lide. The Rams have their sights set on spoiling Mojave's dream season, and it promises to be a hard-fought battle.
Mojave will need to bring their A-game if they hope to repeat as champions. The team's resilience and never-say-die attitude will be put to the test as they look to advance in the playoffs. The game between Mojave and Rancho will take place tonight at 8pm at Cox Pavilion. Who will emerge victorious? Only time will tell.
