PHOENIX — After winning a close game Tuesday night against North Canyon, the Arcadia boys basketball team hopes to create a bigger point spread and dominate the North Canyon Rattlers in a rematch this Friday.

 

Expected by some to handily defeat the Rattlers, the Titans went into Tuesday’s game complacent and relaxed, which led to a closer outcome than anticipated. The Titans were down by 14 points early in the matchup, but were able to pull off a 79-69 victory over the Rattlers.

 

The team is now focused on winning by more in Friday's game.

 

Titans assistant coach Phillip Lozevski said the team did not play with the fire and intensity they normally do.

 

“We didn’t play good defense, we didn’t finish our shots, we didn’t execute on offense, there was a lot of bad things,” Lozevski said. “We didn’t control the tempo, they controlled the tempo and they just outran us.”

 

Lozevski added that the Rattlers had a few key players on fire who contributed to the close final score.

 

“They were tenacious, they didn’t fear us, they attacked us and they went right to the rim every time,” Lozevski said.

 

Titans head coach Stephen Danford is hopeful that the team will bring more fire in front of the large crowd anticipated for the Titans' Senior Night on Friday. Danford said his boys need incentive to win and a large crowd usually motivates them.

 

The senior captain of the Titans, Alex Lozevski, said the key to success on Friday is to make sure their team is in control of the tempo. He added that it’s important to not play into the Rattlers fast-paced game.

 

“If we do that, we’ll be fine, we’ll beat them by more than last time,” Alex Lozevski said.

 

“We always know teams like that [North Canyon] are going to come out and play hard because they want to get a big win against us [a higher ranked team],” Alex Lozevski said. “We just have to come out ready for it on Friday.”

 

James Hodge-Green, a junior on Arcadia's squad, said his teammates need to improve their defense and contain North Canyon's star player Tre O’Guinn if they want another victory.

 

“We have to watch out for their speed and they also shoot the ball really well. They’re a pretty athletic team,” Hodge-Green said.

 

The Rattlers are 6-15. In comparison, the Titans are second in their conference and have a winning record of 16-6.

 

Danford is confident that they can shut down North Canyon's fast-tempo offense on Friday.

 

“That [quick offense] only works once though, now we can plan for it,” Danford said.

 

Friday’s game will take place at 7 p.m. at Arcadia High School in Phoenix. Then, the Titans will hit the road for games against Independence, Paradise Valley and Campo Verde.