Escalante Wins Big, Mora Gives Pecos All They Can Handle and Questa gets the W in the Opener
Week 1 - 2A District 5 New Mexico Hoops Recap
November 27th - December 2nd
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| Mora's Lincoln Alcon finishes a drive and draws the foul during the second quarter verses Pecos last Friday night. |
Estancia, New Mexico
Escalante Lobos - 80
Estancia Bears - 43
The three-time defending District 5 Champion Escalante Lobos opened their season with a visit to play the Estancia Bears Monday, November 27th. Estancia is a team that finished third last year in 2A District 2. The last two meetings between the two schools were split, with Estancia at home winning 80-72 in the 2020-2021 season, and the Lobos winning in a close one last year in Tierra Amarilla, 56-52. None of that mattered, though, as the Lobos wasted no time jumping out to a 14-5 lead midway through the first quarter. By halftime, Escalante extended their lead to 27 points, leading 47-20.
The Lobos were led by their "Big Three": Senior, Guard, Luka Torrez and Senior Forward, Greysen Horan, and Senior Guard Jayden Salazar. Salazar was on fire to begin the season, shooting 5 of 8 from three-point range, and leading the way for the Lobos with 19 points. Torrez played an outstanding all-around game, finishing with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. Greysen Horan played big also with 18 points, going 8 of 11 from the field, including two three pointers.
Estancia big man Justin Rubio did his best to keep the Bears in the game, having an outstanding night, scoring 26 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. He is a player to keep on the radar. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to keep up with Escalante’s speed and outstanding outside shooting. Even though they were undersized in the match up, Escalante dominated from start to finish. This is a very well coached basketball team.
It also wasn’t just the three seniors that played big for Escalante. Their new additions were outstanding also. Damien Baeza hit two early three pointers to set the tone for the evening. Forward Richard Trujillo scored 14 points in his first game with the Varsity team. Senior Adamacio Bustamante also played well on defense.
Escalante Lobos at Estancia Bears - Game Highlights
Tuesday, November 28th
Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico
Tohatchi Cougars - 58
Escalante Lobos - 28
The Lobos had a quick turnaround to open the season, with their next game against the Tohatchi Cougars at home in Tierra Amarilla one night after the trip to Estancia. In Escalante’s meeting last season with the Class 3A Tohatchi team, the Cougars won 76-52.. It was more of the same in this meeting, with Tohatchi leading 19-7 after the first quarter. Escalante was outsized by the Cougars, who forced the Lobos to shoot outside, but the Lobos simply weren’t as hot as they were the night before. The Lobos played without their outstanding Guard, Luka Torrez, who left the Estancia game with an apparent injury. Tohatchi Guard Josh Dawes played an outstanding game. He is a very athletic ball handler that made several outstanding finishes.
The Lobos will have the next several weeks off before playing Quemando on Thursday, December 14th, at a yet to be disclosed tournament location.
Tuesday, November 28th
Penasco, New Mexico
ATATC Phoenix (Santa Fe) - 70
Penasco Panthers - 32
Penasco opened their 2023-2024 season at home against last season’s state champion runner up, the Academy for Technology And The Classics. Penasco had their work cut out for them. The Phoenix came into this season only losing two seniors from last year’s team and returned six seniors. In the end, ATATC’s athleticism was too much for the Panthers. ATATC jumped out to a 19-4 lead behind the play of their two outstanding Senior Forwards, Julian Bernardino and Rocky Miller. Bernardino finished with 21 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. He also shot 10 of 14. Miller also played an outstanding game, scoring 21 points.
Down 33-12 midway through the second quarter, the Panthers went on a 9-4 run to end the half, which included a ridiculous three-point shot off the glass by Sophomore Guard, Kaileb Atencio. The Phoenix continued to pour it on in the second half. Penasco was led in scoring by Senior Forward, Demarcus Lopez with 12 points. For the Panthers, it’s not an ideal beginning to the season, but it was a great test against the team that is a likely favorite to return to the state championship game in March.
The Penasco Panthers have another tough early-season test on Monday, December 4th at home against the Dulce Hawks. Dulce was 2-4 against District 5 teams last season, including a win over Penasco.
ATATC Phoenix at Penasco Panthers - Game Highlights
Gallina, New Mexico
Questa Wildcats - 33
Coronado Leopards - 31
The Questa Wildcats opened their 2023-2024 season with a road trip to take on the Coronado Leopards in Gallina. In the meeting between the two teams last year, the Wildcats played their best game of the season, winning big, 58-28, over the Class A Leopards. The Wildcats looked to do the same in the opener under new head coach, Mike Rael. On Friday night, Questa led after the end of both the first and second quarters, up 18-13 at the half. The Leopards outscored the Wildcats 10-8 in the third, and 8-7 in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough, as Questa held on for the 33-31 win.
The Wildcats were led in scoring by their Senior Forward Antonio Romero with 10 points. Their Sophomore Guard Dominic Vallejos added 8 points also. Senior Forward Ricardo Sanchez and Sophomore Guard Noah Rael each added 4 points for Questa.
With the win, Questa gives their new head coach, Mike Rael a 1-0 record to begin the season. This was also the first opening game win for the Wildcats since the 2016-2017 season when they beat Cimarron. When asked how the game went, Coach Rael said it was, “closer than we wanted, but we fought through some adversity and pulled it out in the end.” For a Wildcats team that has won only six games over the past two years, this is definitely a step in the right direction. The Leopards will get another shot at the Wildcats in Questa in a few more weeks.
Questa has the next week off until hosting the Springer Red Devils on Monday, December 11th. The Class A Springer team won all three of their meetings with Questa last season. Questa will host a brand new tournament beginning with a game against Wagon Mound on Thursday, December 14th after that. More to come about the Questa tournament soon.
Friday, December 1st
Ojo Caliente, New Mexico
Cimarron Rams - 83
Mesa Vista Trojans - 80
Mesa Vista came into the 2023-2024 season with expectations of challenging for a district title. The Trojans started their season off with a visit from a Cimarron Rams team that is fresh off a 18-8, first place finish in Class A District 5. This one sounds like it was a classic. Mesa Vista’s outstanding big man, Jordan Gallegos scored 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Trojans. Their Senior Guard, Marcos Martinez added 25 points also.
The Trojans were only down two points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, 60-58. The Cimarron Rams were led in scoring by Sophomore Guard Urijah Martinez with 16 points. The Rams also got 14 points out of their 6’9” big man, Demetrius Jackson. Cimarron was able to hang on in the end, getting out of Ojo Caliente with a win at the end of the night, 83-80.
Even in the loss, Coach Thomas Vigil has to be pleased with the offensive production he got out of his team. It wasn’t just his two leaders that produced; Guard Santiago Martinez added 9 points. Salvador Saavedra scored 7 points, and Andres Valdez added 6 points. This is a team with depth.
The Trojans have a very busy following week, taking on 4A neighbor Espanola Valley on Thursday, 5A Roswell on Friday and 4A Miyamura on Saturday, at Sun Devil Shootout Tournament in Espanola, December 7th through 9th.
Friday, December 1st
Pecos, New Mexico
Mora Rangers - 63
Pecos Panthers - 67
It was a packed house on Friday night in Pecos for opening night of basketball season. The Mora Rangers began their 2023-2024 season with a trip to take on the defending Class 2A State Champion, Pecos Panthers. This one did not disappoint. Both teams were hot early with the first quarter ending with Pecos up 29-22. The Rangers kept it close, finishing the first half only down one, 45-44. Mora’s standout Guard Lincoln Alcon played huge, scoring 17 points in the first half, going 9 of 10 from the free-throw line. Alcon finished the game with 22 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Jeremiah Pacheco also added 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists for the Rangers.
After a hot first half, the scoring cooled down a bit. The second half was sort of a slug fest with a lot of physicality. Credit to the refs for holding their whistles as well as they could. Mora finally pulled within one again around the 6:00 minute mark in the fourth quarter after a big three-point shot by Lincoln Alcon. The game was tied at 57 with 4:35 left in the 4th quarter when Alcon again made a big play, driving right for a finish at the hoop to give the Rangers their first lead in the game since going up 4-0.
With 2:10 left in the fourth, Pecos took the lead back, 62-61, after a drive and fade away shot off of contact by their Senior Guard, Joshua Gonzales. After a Mora turnover, Lawrence Ragland hit a huge three pointer in transition to give Pecos a 65-61 lead, making it a two-possession game. Mora’s Jeremiah Pacheco made a big basket in the paint to bring it back to a two-point game, before Number 14 for Pecos hit two big three throws to seal it. The Panthers held on from there, defending their title as Class 2A state champions on the opening night of their season against a good Mora team. Ragland and Gonzles both played big throughout the game for Pecos, with Ragland scoring 19 points on 8 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 5 from three-point range. Gonzales finished with 13 points. This game was a lot of fun to watch. If you have four minutes to watch this game film, it will be the best four minutes you spend all day.
Mora Rangers at Pecos Panthers - Game Highlights
Mora Rangers - 54
Monte Del Sol Charter Dragons - 36
Mora had no time to rest after their close loss in the season opener against Pecos and traveled to Santa Fe to play the Monte Del Sol Charter school that comes from District 2, which may be one of the toughest districts in Class 2A. The Dragons finished last season with a 14-14 record and fourth in the District 2 standings.
MDSC led after the first quarter, 12-11, but Mora held the Dragons to just three points in the second quarter to lead 29-15 at the half. Monte Del Sol got a big game out of Devin Moore who scored 10 points and pulled down an impressive 13 rebounds. Juanito Coughlin added 12 points for the Dragons. There were no stats available for the Rangers at the time of publication. The Rangers beat the Dragons by a final score of 54-36. The victory today gives the Mora Rangers their twenty-second straight win over Monte Del Sol Charter, with their last loss to the Dragons coming in the 2007-2008 season.
The Rangers have the next week off before hitting the road to take on the 3A Raton Tigers on Tuesday, December 12th.
***Notice of Corrections***
In last week's season preview article, and season preview highlight video, I listed Questa Guard #15, Dominic Vallejos as his brother, Jacob Vallejos. My sincerest apologies to the Vallejos family and the Wildcats.
As always, any notifications of any mistakes or needed corrections are very welcomed at cwmartinsports@gmail.com.
For more coverage of 2A District 5 and other Class 2A teams, as well as teams from around the area throughout the season, including recaps and game highlights, please visit, cwmartinsports.blogspot.com and youtube.com/@CWMartinSports.
Photo and all footage comes courtesy of nfhsnetwork.com.
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