The AZ Gym Rats defeated Team AZ Stars 52-42 Sunday night in the 13u A championship of the Southwest Showcase Weekender at Moon Valley High School.

The Stars were able to grab a short-lived 6-point lead early in the half by focusing their energy on the defensive end, but the Rats broke through as big man Reese Colman scored three consecutive baskets in the post.

Neither team allowed easy shot opportunities, while staying away from foul trouble. Both teams shot the ball poorly throughout the second half, except for Rats guard Cole Herman who hit a jumper and made both of his three-point attempts.

The Stars switched to intense man-to-man defense in the second half that was effective at first, but the Rats kept their 10-point lead until the end. In the last six minuets of the game, Gym Rats coach Steve Delaveaga put in a completely fresh line-up without any fear of letting the lead slip.

“I have 10 kids, all of whom can play, so there is no problem for me to sub them in and out,” he said.

The fresh players provided an extra burst of energy for the team, especially on the defensive end.

“The last time, this team beat us by 30 points,” AZ Stars coach Marcus Shivers said. “We didn’t have enough size and just ran out of gas after facing two number-one seeds to get here.”

Stars forward Terrion May stayed tough on both ends of the court, driving into the paint, grabbing rebounds and taking high-percentage shots. He finished with 13 points.