Palm Desert Boy's Basketball Beats Xavier Prep

If a football team holds an opponent scoreless for over a quarter, it’s expected.    

When it’s done on a basketball court, it’s almost unheard of. 

But that’s exactly what Palm Desert’s defense did to Xavier Prep on Tuesday night. By the time Xavier’s first points were put up with 4:22 left in the second quarter, the Aztecs had already built a 33 point lead and were on cruise control en route to a 63-27 Desert Valley League

“It was all that pent up energy and frustration from Friday,” said Don Brady, the Aztecs head coach, referring to last week’s trouncing by Palm Springs.  “Tonight we were relaxed and the shots were falling.” 

Junior guard Jonathan Serven scored 11 of his game high 18 points in the first quarter, nine of those coming from three-point range. The Aztecs as a team were lethal from behind the three-point line, hitting 10 shots from long range. 

Palm Desert also came out strong defensively, with senior forward Trent Rowser making two steals in the opening minutes. The Aztecs forced five turnovers and allowed just two shots from the Saints in the first quarter.  

After Xavier senior guard Joey Quinzio scored the team’s first point midway into the second quarter, both teams played fairly evenly the rest of the way.  Unfortunately, for the Saints, the damage had already been done. 

Quinzio, who led the Saints with nine points in the game, and the rest of his teammates actually outscored Palm Desert in the second half, though it was after the Aztecs had benched their starters early into the third quarter. 

Along with Serven’s 18 points, Rowser scored eight points for the Aztecs, while senior Lucas Wilgers came off the bench to score six. 

Brady expects to have two injured players back and ready to play when the Aztecs (10-6, 3-1 DVL) host Cathedral City on Friday.  

Xavier Prep, still a respectable 2-2 in the DVL (6-7 overall), now turns their focus on a DVL trip to Palm Springs to face the Indians on Friday.