Raiders rise up

 For the past three years, Kelsey Burbey and the Cibola Raiders have fallen short in the Kofa Holiday Hoops Tournament, usually losing to the host Kings in the tournament's championship game.

 Burbey and the Raiders rebounded from the past Monday in the championship game at the Gila Ridge gym, dominating the boards - and the scoreboard - in a 44-21 win.

  "I've been in it for four years, and we've always lost to Kofa by two or three points," said Burbey, whose 10-point, 14-rebound, six-steal, three-block game capped her tournament MVP performance. "But to finally come out and win by 20-something points is what we've worked for. We've worked since last winter, last tournament, to beat Kofa and come out and win this tournament. And it feels amazing."

 Kofa (4-6) led early 7-4, but a 26-2 run reaching into the third quarter iced the game for the Raiders (6-3).

 Cibola outrebounded the Kings 33-20 and outscored them 12-2 on second-chance points.

 "We try to take pride in offensive rebounding. We think it's important and we think we have to own the boards if we want to win basketball games," Cibola coach Justin Hager said. "We did a good job playing for position. We knew there would be some long rebounds, so we basically had to get every loose ball. And that's our goal every game."

 Burbey had three of the Raiders' offensive rebounds.

 "Rebounding is always important," Burbey said. "It doesn't matter if it's Kofa, any game during the season rebounding is what wins us the game. We get putbacks, and putbacks are what win games. Crashing the boards is what wins the game."

 Sara Ray led the Raiders with 12 points, while Rebecca Lackey and all-tournament selection Katie Davidson each had six boards for Cibola.

 Veroncia Moreno, who made the all-tournament team for the Kings, had a team-leading nine points and five steals. Mimi Wright led the Kings with six rebounds.

 Now, Hager said, the Raiders' attention turns to the regular season.

 "It's good for the kids winning it for the first time," Hager said. "It's one of our goals we set  for the regular season, but it's one of the minor things we want to do. ... We're happy, but we have to get ready for the regular season. That's what really counts."

 Despite losing a pool play game 37-13 earlier Monday to Gila Ridge, San Luis played for third place but lost 58-48 to Tucson-Catalina Magnet despite 23 points from all-tournament pick Brenda Vargas.

 Gila Ridge lost the fifth-place game to Lake Havasu 36-24 despite nine points from Erin Ridout.

 Yuma High won its first game of the season in beating Tucson-Santa Rita 43-28 behind nine points from Victoria Barry and Desiree McSween.

 Summer Ehrig scored 11 points for the Hawks in the pool play win over the Sidewinders, in which San Luis made just three field goals in the 9 a.m. game.

 Cibola finished pool play perfect with a 52-20 win over Lake Havasu, thanks in part to Ray's team-high 11 points. Kofa also went perfect in pool play with a 63-34 win over Santa Rita as four players reached double figures, paced by Moreno's 15.

 Yuma High played the last pool play game, a 41-14 loss as only four Criminals scored.

---

KOFA HOLIDAY HOOPS TOURNAMENT

Championship: Cibola 44, Kofa 21

Third place: Catalina Magnet 58, San Luis 48

Fifth place: Lake Havasu 36, Gila Ridge 24

Seventh place: Yuma High 43, Santa Rita 28

---

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Kelsey Burbey (MVP), Cibola; Katie Davidson, Cibola; Sara Ray, Cibola; Amanda Garcia, Kofa; Veronica Moreno, Kofa; Brenda Vargasm San Luis; Aisha Abedi, Yuma High; Jasmine Grant, Catalina Magnet; Jordan Button, Catalina Magnet; Andrea Collica, Lake Havasu