Higley Vs Queen Creek

In an anticipated matchup between two East Valley Arizona high school basketball teams, Higley High School, home of the Knights, proved why they’re ranked #9 in the state, cruising to a 65-35 victory over Queen Creek High School, home of the Bulldogs, on Friday January 10th, 2025. The game, which was marked by sharp plays and solid defense, ended with Higley improving to a 10-3 record, while Queen Creek settled to 9-5.

From the beginning, Higley and Queen Creek's defense set the tone, however, it was a slower start to the game. From Higley High School, Junior, #2 Noah Gloor got the first points of the game off a foul, and the team didn’t look back. Sophomore, #24 Chops Davis led the charge, creating momentum on both ends of the floor. Despite a bright moment from Queen Creek’s Senior #1 Leyton Steenhard, who hit a strong 3-pointer, the first quarter ended with Higley ahead, 16-8. 

As the second quarter unfolded, Queen Creek struggled to find their rhythm. Higley’s offensive firepower, strongly led by #00 Donovan Dabney (Sr.) and #2 Noah Gloor (Jr.) , powered them to a commanding 39-11 lead at halftime with a strategic, yet smooth partner pass that brought the crowd cheering and to their feet. Queen Creek managed just three points in the entire quarter, unable to break through Higley’s aggressive defense. 

The third quarter saw a slight resurgence from Queen Creek, as #1 Leyton Steenhard (Sr.) and #11 Grandin Gustafson (Sr.) knocked down some shots, including a 3-pointer from Gustafson to end the quarter. But it was clear the damage had already been done. Higley maintained a comfortable 50-27 lead going into the final period.

In the fourth, #5 Gavin Dabney (Sr.) continued to shine, knocking down three-pointers while #10 Foday Dumbuya (Jr.) assisted the win with a clutch shot in the closing minutes. Despite strong individual performances from Steenhard and Gustafson, Queen Creek couldn’t mount a comeback, and Higley walked away with a dominant 65-35 win.

The game featured standout performances from Chops Davis, Noah Gloor, Donovan Dabney, Gavin Dabney, and Foday Dumbuya on the Higley side. Queen Creek’s Leyton Steenhard and Grandin Gustafson were tough opponents and strong contributors, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the impressive all-around effort from Higley.

With this victory, Higley looks to build momentum as they head deeper into the season, while Queen Creek will look to bounce back in their next game.