Marv Sanders Memorial Invite Farmington boys fall short to Maryvale in tournament finale

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

FARMINGTON – The boys bracket of the Marv Sanders Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament concluded with a rematch of last year’s championship game.

This time, it was Maryvale’s Adrian Stubbs who stole the show. The junior guard lead all scorers with 27 points to propel the Panthers to a 56-51 victory over Farmington on Saturday night.

Senior forward Devin Murphy also played a pivotal role with his commanding rebounding and defensive presence.

Farmington senior guard Landon Begay kept his team in the game with 20 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win.

The first quarter saw Stubbs repeatedly slicing through Farmington’s defense, racking up 8 points. Murphy added a basket while junior guard Abram Salazar hit one-of-two free throws for an 11-9 advantage.

Farmington had a balanced effort with four players contributing to its first quarter total. Junior Donathan Tracy led the way with 3 points.

In the second quarter, tensions ran high as technical fouls were called on both sides following a tussle for a loose ball.

Farmington capitalized offensively, putting up 23 points to Maryvale’s 8, taking a commanding 32-19 lead at halftime. Begay led the Scorpions’ surge with 8 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Senior center Dylon Tso chipped in with 5 points.

Meanwhile, Stubbs, limited by foul trouble, managed only 3 points in the quarter, and Murphy sat out after his technical foul, returning midway through the third.

The third quarter saw Stubbs return with vengeance, scoring 9 points, including 3-for-4 from the free throw line. Murphy added 4 points, and the Panthers’ defense stifled Farmington, holding them to just 10 points.

Begay found success from the perimeter, scoring 8 points, while junior Sataurus Griego added a bucket. Maryvale outscored Farmington 18-10 in the quarter, narrowing the gap to 42-37.

In the final quarter, Stubbs continued his dominance, scoring 7 points and going 1-for-2 from the line. The Panthers relied on free throws down the stretch, though they struggled at the line, shooting just 6-for-14 in the quarter.

Farmington faced adversity as three players—senior forward Mikey Beck, junior guard Dayton Bizzell, and senior guard Alex Serrano—fouled out. Tracy led the Scorpions’ scoring in the quarter with 5 points, including a three-pointer, but Begay was held to just 2 points.

Farmington head coach Larry Chitty reflected on the game, highlighting key areas for improvement. “We struggled boxing out for rebounds, and the turnovers hurt us in the final quarter,” he said.

On Maryvale’s dynamic guard, Chitty added, “Stubbs is quick and very hard to stop. We couldn’t stay in front of him and keep him away from scoring.”

Chitty also commented on the importance of playing tough competition, saying, “Playing teams like this, inviting teams like this helps us prepare for the state 5A competition. Aside from Piedra Vista, we don’t get that type of opponents around here without having to travel a distance.”

Begay spoke about his performance in the final quarter, where he was held to 2 points. “I got nervous because I’m not usually the guy carrying the team, but I do need to get used to it. I need to carry the team down the stretch.” he said. “To get the win, I need to be more confident like I was in the beginning, draw more fouls, and score more.”

Up next for the Scorpions, Farmington plays at Bloomfield on Tuesday and they will host Kirtland Central (3-4) on Thursday evening, with both games game tipping off at 7 p.m.

---