The Miami High School junior varsity boys basketball team showed plenty of heart on the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 10, battling the Bulldogs from Safford High School in a hard-fought contest that featured strong effort from start to finish.
Miami came out with good energy and created several quality looks early, but the shots just wouldn’t fall. Despite the slow start, the Vandals kept attacking. John McGaughey got Miami on the board from a nice give-and-go down the lane for a smooth two-pointer, and the Vandals fed off the crowd’s energy to put together a late run in the first quarter. Still, Safford’s strong start gave them a 20-5 lead after one.
The Vandals continued to compete in the second quarter. Kris Tarango made a tough basket in the lane and followed it up with a big defensive block, setting the tone on both ends of the floor. Miami finished the half with momentum, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to close the gap and head into halftime trailing 42-26.
That momentum carried into the second half. Crisp ball movement led to open looks under the basket, and Tarango drilled a three-pointer that brought the Vandals within seven. Miami trailed 52-44 after three quarters but showed no signs of backing down.
Early in the fourth quarter, a steal and layup pulled Miami within six points. The Vandals continued to battle, cutting the deficit to just five before Safford answered with a late 12-0 run to secure a 76-60 win.
Tarango led all scorers with an impressive 30 points, while McGaughey added 13 and Isaiah Tarango chipped in 12. DeSean Kinney scored four points, and Dreyton Dickson added one.
Despite the loss, head coach Ruben Mancha was proud of his team’s effort.
“We played hard,” Mancha said. “The boys stayed with it, played defense the whole game, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
That effort and resilience continue to define this JV Vandals squad as they grow together this season.
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