Tourney time in February just feels different, and last Tuesday in San Carlos, you could feel it the moment you walked into the gym.
The San Carlos High School Lady Braves hosted the Yuma Catholic High School Shamrocks in the opening round of the Arizona Copper Division Tournament — a 16-team, single-elimination bracket often called the “small-school Open Division.”
It features the top-ranked teams from the 1A, 2A and 3A conferences, and when you looked at the resumes of these two squads, this one had all the makings of a heavyweight fight.
Yuma Catholic entered the night 16-1 overall, undefeated in 3A West regional play and ranked No. 1 in their region. San Carlos Lady Braves were 15-1, undefeated in the 2A East, and ranked No. 2 in 2A behind Pima High. In other words, two regional champs. One ticket to the next round.
Anaya Juan got things started the right way, driving the lane for two to put San Carlos on the board, minutes later to hit a three to score the first five points for the Lady Braves. Early on, the tone was set defensively. Yuma Catholic’s Kimora Coleman applied relentless pressure, at one point defending Kylee Juan with hands quite literally in her face. The Shamrocks’ quick hands led to several steals, and they battled back to tie the game at 7 after San Carlos jumped out early.
But the Lady Braves didn’t blink.
Alyson Hopkins came up with a steal and a layup to ignite the home crowd, and Juan knocked down a big three-pointer to keep momentum on San Carlos’ side. Malia Antonio went to work on the glass, fighting for rebounds and finishing a strong put-back. When Yuma Catholic buried a three late in the first half to tie it, Hopkins calmly stepped to the line and went 2-for-2 to give the Lady Braves a 12-10 edge.
From there, San Carlos began to separate.
Hopkins found her rhythm shooting, and Drianna Dosela drained a clutch three in the final minute of the half. Even when Yuma Catholic answered with seconds left before the break, the Lady Braves headed into halftime with a commanding 31-19 lead.
The third quarter was a grind. Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm, but San Carlos’ defensive intensity never wavered. The Lady Braves’ full-court press disrupted the Shamrocks all night long, forcing turnovers and keeping Yuma Catholic from settling into their half-court sets. After three quarters, San Carlos held a 41-28 advantage.
Yuma Catholic made one final push, but Hopkins — who finished with a game-high 21 points — buried another three to steady the ship. Surrounded by a roaring student section and an energized home crowd, the Lady Braves closed it out, 51-42.
Caylee Longstreet added 11 points, Anaya Juan finished with 8, Kylee Juan and Malia Antonio each contributed 4, and Dosela chipped in 3 for the Lady Braves.
Home court mattered. The energy mattered. But what stood out most was San Carlos’ poise. Against a 3A powerhouse, the Lady Braves didn’t just compete, they controlled the tempo, trusted their defense, and protected their house.
And in tournament basketball, that’s exactly how you survive and advance.
The San Carlos Lady Braves lost in the second round of the Copper Tournament to Valley Christian. Valley Christian ended the regular season first in their region and third overall in 3A basketball. The Lady Braves will return to the 2A Tournament as the #1 seed. They have a first round bye and will host the winner of #9 Horizon Honors and #8 Valley Sanders on Saturday, Feb. 21.
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