With basketball teams comprised mostly of 10 to 15 players it is hard to find playing time for more than seven or eight on a roster most nights. Some can find time for up to 10. That juggling act is a choice administered carefully by hardwood mentors. Corona del Sol and Mesa Mountain View boys teams have encountered success in mixing and matching.

"We have a deep team," Corona del Sol coach Sammy Duane said of his 13-2 squad. "Some nights it's hard to get enough playing time for some especially if they had a good game the one before."

Corona, which faces Dobson on Friday night trying to extend its current seven-game winning streak, has been involved in several games this season where Duane felt compelled to mix and match with his depth. Trailing in several games by double digits in the first half has required looking for a spark or a matchup that might cure a cold-shooter or exploit a weakness.

"Our guys have been pretty good about it," Duane said. "We've had a lot of guys come through when they haven't had much time for a game or two. It's a mindset to be ready. The great thing is how we practice. It's so competitve that there is not much difference between our first team and second team. It makes for great practices."

Corona del Sol won its 13th game on Tuesday night by beating Basha, 60-35. Duane inserted senior Rashidi Kabamba in the starting lineup partly because of the game he had off the bench against Chandler  a few nights earlier. Mostly it was to match up against Basha's guards. Kabamba scored six points in the first period helping the Aztecs jump to an 18-5 first-quarter lead. Reserves Braden Tennyson, Nick Seifker and Bryan Siefker have also played key roles at opportune moments for Duane.

Another example is backup post Andrus Peat, who often has been called on to relieve starter Avery Moss when foul trouble looms. Peat can get a few minutes one night, up to a quarter or more on others.

Mountain View boys coach Gary Ernst usually is more guarded on going as deep as Duane does. Ernst likes to use of eight perhaps nine players and sticks pretty steadfastly to that. The Toros sport a 13-1 record heading into Friday night's game against Central.

"We can go nine or 10 deep, but who gets time is based a lot on matchups," Ernst said. 

The Toros usually start guards Mark Mazzucco and Jeff Kerr, Cam Boone and Kyle Bingham inside and Jaren Sweeney as a swingman. Guard Mitch Wallace and inside player Sam Kamp are the first two subs, with Wallace a scoring threat from outside and Kamp supplying toughness inside behind Boone and Bingham. Guard Loren Benally gets time for his defense. Six-foot-9 center Scott Cook will get minutes on nights when size is needed.

"A lot of teams have three or four guards and those nights it's hard to get Scott minutes," Ernst said. "I usuall go with eight kids for sure and sometimes nine or 10. I feel comfortable with other kids, but I find it hard to go deeper. Part of that is just me."

Sweeney, Mazzucco and Bingham have played so well this season that Ernst has had little reason or desire to replace them other than a quick breather or  foul trouble. Boone missed time earlier this season due to injury which opened up minutes for Cook.

"We've usually had depth at a couple positions," Ernst said. "It can make for tough decisions, but I would rather have options than not."

 

 

 

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