The Payson Longhorns have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won nine games by 22 points or more this season. They took their matchup on the road on Friday with ease, bagging a 66-9 win over Tempe. That looming 66-9 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Payson yet this season.
Payson found their leader in underclassman Tatum Mcdowell, who scored 25 points along with nine rebounds and six steals. That's the first time this season that Mcdowell pulled down eight or more rebounds. Another player making a difference was Kyndall Hatch, who scored 11 points along with eight steals and seven rebounds.
The win was the third in a row for Payson, bringing their record for this year to 11-3. As for Tempe, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 1-7.
Payson will finish 2023 at home by hosting Tuba City at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Arizona (Tuba City is ranked 72nd, while Payson is ranked 63rd). Tempe will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Dysart at 7:00 p.m. on January 10, 2024.
