Mesa heats up after slow start
Preseason No. 1 defeated perennial power Mountain View last week

Richard Obert
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 13, 2008 08:39 PM

Preseason No. 1 Mesa is refusing to go away.

Despite a four-game losing streak that included a 28-point loss to Gilbert early in the season, Mesa has won its past six in-state games, including a 66-50 rout of three-time defending Class 5A Division-I champion Mesa Mountain View last week.

"Even though we had losses, we always stuck together," second-year coach Shane Burcar said. "The results weren't there, but I knew we were getting better."

Burcar said the key has been attitude. He said players joke around and give each other a hard time off the court.

They have fun. They're focused. And they leave their egos in the locker room, Burcar noted.

"That's what saved us at the beginning," Burcar said. "If we were a good team with a bunch of egos, it would have been a mess."

Despite going 1-3 against solid competition in a tournament in Las Vegas over the holidays, Mesa (9-7) showed signs of improving, behind the leadership of 6-foot-7 senior forward Aaron Fuller, who is averaging 22 points and 10 rebounds.

Fuller went from having no college suitors at season's start to drawing interest from Connecticut, Purdue, Michigan, Colorado and Clemson, Burcar said.

"He's all over the place (on the court)," Burcar said of Fuller. "People want to double-team, but he's such a good passer. Others are hitting shots. Pick your poison."

The recent return of junior guard Ryan Salcedo, who missed the first 14 games, has made Mesa tougher.

Salcedo allows Donte' Medder (13.7 points, 4.5 assists a game) to move to shooting guard. Both are combo guards. Against Mountain View, Salcedo had 15 points in his first game of the season.

Another key has been the defense of guard Keelan Johnson, who helped hold Arizona-bound guard Brendon Lavender of Mountain View to 12 points.

GAME RECAPS HERE