Basketball Recap: Alexis Rope's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Safford over Thatcher

Safford was the 54-38 winner over Thatcher when they last played one another back in January of 2024, but their luck changed this time around. The Safford Bulldogs fell 55-47 to the Thatcher Eagles on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Safford's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Alexis Rope, who went 6 of 12 en route to 12 points and five rebounds. Rope is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last 12 games she's played dating back to last season. Jazzlyn Mortensen was another key player, putting up 13 points and eight boards.

Makenzi Lunt had a dynamite game for Thatcher, dropping a double-double on 24 points and 15 rebounds. Those 24 points gave Lunt a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Audrey Smith, who posted seven points along with six boards and five steals.

Safford's loss dropped their record down to 5-13. As for Thatcher, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 6-14.

Safford didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next match, a 57-21 defeat against Pusch Ridge Christian Academy on the 1st. Thatcher has also already played their next game, a 66-11 victory against Tanque Verde on the 31st.