Escalante and McCurdy get back on track and Mesa Vista extends their streak to 13 wins in a row
Week 10: New Mexico 2A District 5 High School Hoops Recap
January 29th - February 3rd
Only six games on the schedule this week for 2A District 5. The race for the district title is heating up in the second week of district play.
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| Salvador Saavedra continues playing well for Mesa Vista this season, as he finishes a tough basket here versus Questa. |
Tuesday, January 30th
Espanola, New Mexico
Dulce Hawks - 38
McCurdy Bobcats - 65
McCurdy started the week off against the Dulce Hawks. Dulce is a team from 2A District 1 that had a 2-4 record against 2A District 5 this season. The Hawks pushed the Escalante Lobos to the limit ten days earlier, in a 39-35 game with a close finish, in Tierra Amarilla.
The Bobcats had a record of 10-8 overall, and 2-1 in district play, coming into this game. This is one McCurdy was going to need to stay in the hunt for the District 5 title. McCurdy’s duo of Ryan Montoya and Lucas Martinez are big reasons why they are still in contention for the district this season. Montonya came into the game averaging 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Martinez averages 17.9 points and 3.0 steals per game. Judah Duran also averages 10.4 points per game for the Bobcats.
The Bobcats controlled throughout in this one, leading 32-14 at the half. The Bobcats extended their lead to twenty-one points by the end of the third, with the score 47-26. And it was more of the same the rest of the way, with McCurdy leading, 56-29, midway through the fourth quarter.
The Bobcats improved to 11-8 after the blowout win. McCurdy’s next game was the next Thursday at home in Espanola against the Mora Rangers.
Thursday, February 1st
Penasco, New Mexico
District 5 Game
Escalante Lobos - 62
Penasco Panthers - 38
The Lobos came into this game after a tough loss the previous weekend at Mesa Vista. Escalante was 10-7, and 1-1 in the district. If the Lobos were going to stay in the hunt for District 5, they had to go on the road to get a win over a scrappy Penasco team that has played well at times this season, in games they might not have been favored in. The Panthers came into the game with a 5-12 record, and 0-2 in the district.
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| Damien Baeza with the lay-in on the break vs Penasco. Baeza has played well with the minutes given this season. |
This one started off quick. Senior Forward Matias Vigil played well in the first quarter for Penasco, scoring 5 points, including an And 1 in a crowded paint. The Panthers led 7-6 early in the first quarter before the Lobos went on a 10-0 run and finished the first quarter with a 17-9 lead. The Lobos were able to out-rebound the Panthers early, as well as forcing multiple turnovers in transition defense. Sophomore Richard Trujillo played well for the Lobos in the first half, scoring 8 points. By the half, Escalante had extended their lead to twenty-two points, 39-17.
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| Demarcus Lopez with a smooth runner in the paint for Penasco in the first half versus Escalante. |
The Lobos played well in the third quarter as well finishing with a 54-26 lead. Adamacio Bustamante and Trey Archuleta played well for the Lobos in the quarter. They both finished with 7 points on the night. The Lobos held on in the fourth quarter for a twenty-four point win, in an early district matchup.
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| Adamacio Bustamante is another young player that has emerged for Escalante this season, as an effective scorer inside. |
The Panthers never found a good rhythm offensive in the game and appear to still be dealing with injuries. Demarcus Lopez led the Panthers with 12 points on the night. Anthony Naranjo played well on both sides of the floor and scored 7 points on the night. With the loss, Penasco fell to 5-13 on the season and 0-3 in the district. Looking ahead for the Panthers, it doesn’t get any easier. They next hit the road to visit Mesa Vista in Ojo Caliente. Needless to say, that’s a tough one.
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| Neamiah Chavez finishes the break for Penasco. Chavez is another young player to watch out for going forward. |
Luka Torrez led all scores in the game with 18 points, and Greysen Horan added 11 points. Sophomore Richard Trujillo scored 8 points on the night and looks like a player Escalante will need to play big down the stretch. Trujillo is a good scorer, only a Sophomore, and a player to look out for in the next few seasons for the Lobos. With the win, the Lobos were 11-7 overall and 2-1 in the district. Their next game was on the road, to visit the Mora Rangers.
Escalante Lobos at Penasco Panthers - Game Highlights
Thursday, February 1st
Questa, New Mexico
District 5 Game
Mesa Vista Trojans - 63
Questa Wildcats - 30
The Mesa Vista Trojans took their eleven-game winning streak on the road to face the Questa Wildcats. The Trojans are one of the hottest teams in New Mexico high school basketball at the moment. For a Questa team that has only won three games this season, but played better than it has the last few seasons, this would be as tough as it got this season.
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| Ezequiel Nevarez sinks a three for Mesa Vista from the corner in their win over Questa. |
This one was all Trojans from the start. Mesa Vista led by eighteen after the first quarter, 24-6. Jordan Gallegos scored 10 points in the first half and 16 points for the game. Another solid outing for Gallegos. Another good inside player for Mesa Vista is Salvador Saavedra, who is a very strong player in the paint and a consistent finisher at the basket. Saavedra scored 8 points on the night.
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| Here's this week's obligatory Jordan Gallegos photo. Gallegos continues to dominate this season for the Trojans. Outstanding player. |
On the Wildcats end, they scored 14 points in the third quarter and had a few good plays on here and there but weren’t able to put it together consistently. Antonio Romero led the Wildcats with 10 points. Nathaniel Rael scored 8 points, and Carlos Ortega scored 6 points on the night.
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| Questa's Donny Santistevan with the put back for two points in the second half versus Mesa Vista. |
Questa was able to give some of their younger players minutes in this one, with Donny Satistevan making an offensive rebound and putback for points, and Freshman Matthew Vigil made a nice left-handed drive and finish at the basket. Questa’s next game is on Thursday, February 8th, in Penasco to take on the Panthers. Penasco won the meeting between the two, 66-32, at the NRGT in early January.
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| Another young player in the district to keep an eye on next season is Questa's Freshman Guard Covo Cardenas. He hits a three here versus Mesa Vista. |
Mesa Vista’s winning streak went to twelve games in a row after beating Questa. Their next game was at home, hosting Penasco on the following Saturday night.
Thursday, February 1st
Espanola, New Mexico
District 5 Game
Mora Rangers - 44
McCurdy Bobcats - 66
This was a good matchup for two teams that had similar records on the season coming into this game. They two teams faced each other in the Northern Rio Grande Tournament earlier in January, with McCurdy holding on for a 52-50 win over the Rangers.
The Bobcats led in this one, 17-8, at the end of the first quarter. Report from Mora Coach Manuel Romero was that McCurdy came out ready to play, and the Rangers had an off shooting night. When asked about the close race for the district, Coach Romero added, “It comes down to who’s ready to play that night.”
The Bobcats extended their lead to twelve points by the half, 29-17. On a night when the Rangers had trouble hitting shots, Junior Guard Derik Duran led Mora in scoring with 13 points. If the Rangers hope to stay afloat in the district, they will need Duran to continue playing well.
When asked which players stood out for McCurdy, Coach Romero mentioned Ryan Montoya and Jeremaya Roybal. Junior Forward Jeremaya Roybal continues to prove himself as a force in the paint for McCurdy this season. Roybal led the Bobcats in scoring on the night and finished with a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds. Big game for Roybal here.
Both teams were hot in the third quarter, with McCurdy outsourcing Mora 23-17. The Bobcats held on in the fourth quarter for the twenty-two point win. Big win for McCurdy going forward in district play. I guess they all are at this point.
When talking about McCurdy, it’s hard to mention one of their impact players without mentioning the others, because the others usually have a big game, also. Judah Duran scored 16 points on the night. Lucas Martinez scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Ryan Montoya added 14 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.
On a team with multiple players that can score, Ryan Montoya seems like the player the Bobcats want taking that late shot in a close game. Montoya has to be in the mix when District 5 player of the year discussions come up. He’s an outstanding all around player, in only his Junior season.
With the loss, the Mora Rangers fell to 9-8 on the season overall and 2-1 in the district. Their next game was on the following Saturday night, at home versus the Escalante Lobos.
Saturday, February 3rd
Mora, New Mexico
District 5 Game
Escalante Lobos - 44
Mora Rangers - 30
The Lobos had won the last eight meetings between the two teams, with the Rangers’ last win coming on February 29th, 2020. After the loss at McCurdy, this would be a tough next game for Mora. For Escalante, after the close loss at Mesa Vista and a big win in Penasco on the previous Thursday, they would need this game just as badly as the Rangers would.
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| Lincoln Alcon draws the foul with the early finish against Escalante. Alcon has played big for Mora in his Senior season. Respect. |
This was a physical game right from the beginning. Escalante led 11-6 after the first quarter. Sophomore Richard Trujillo made an immediate impact when he came in, scoring two-quick baskets towards the end of the first.
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| Derik Duran with the corner three for Mora. Duran is a player the Rangers will need if they hope to stay afloat in the district. |
Derik Duran hit a three pointer for Mora to start the second quarter. The Rangers were able to tie the game at 13-13 after a bucket by Forward Jeremiah Pacheco, with around 4:00 left in the second quarter. Lincoln Alcon played well in the first half, scoring 8 points for Mora. The Lobos still held the lead at the end of the half, 21-17, with a very nice one-footed fade away finish, off the glass, in transition by Jayden Salazar to end the half.
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| This week's "Tip of the Hat" award goes to Escalante's Jayden Salazar for this Dirk Nowitzki-esque fade away off the glass. Nice work, young fella. |
The third quarter began with a three pointer by Escalante’s Senior Center Greysen Horan who, for being one of the better inside players in the district, is also an outstanding outside shooter. Lincoln Alcon then finished a drive with an And 1 to bring the game within four points, 24-20. After another basket from Horan, Dante Alcon hit a mid-range jumper to keep the lead at four. After a few buckets from Luka Torrez, the Lobos extended their lead to ten points after a nice pass from Archuleta at the top of the key to Salazar for a lay-in. Mora was able to get a few more baskets by the end of the quarter, bringing the lead down to eight, 34-26.
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| Richard Trujillo with the finish in the paint for Escalante in the second half versus Mora. Trujillo is a young player to watch out for. |
The fourth quarter continued with very physical play, with both teams struggling to find good shots from the field. The two teams combined for just one basket up until the 2:00 mark, when Senior Trey Archuleta was blocked by Lincoln Alcon on a drive, but recovered the ball and drew the foul when putting it back up for points. Archuleta has played well for Escalante in his Senior season. The Rangers got another basket from Dante Alcon on a baseline fade away, but the Lobos began to pull away from there, scoring the final seven points of the game, including an And 1 from Luke Torrez to finish it off.
After the game, Mora Coach Manuel Romero said, “We were in it. We just had some costly turnovers or missed easy baskets at crucial times, and they capitalized on those things.” When asked about the performance of the Lobos’ Torrez, Romero said, “Luka did play well – he controlled the tempo for them. Greysen Horan played well – had some baskets at key times and offensive rebounds put backs.”
Impressive road win for Escalante, on a night when open shots were hard to come by. Luka Torrez led all scorers with 15 points on the night for Escalante. Greysen Horan played big on the night, scoring 13 points. Jayden Salazar added 7 points, also. Lincoln Alcon led the Rangers with 13 points on the night. Derik Duran scored 5 points, also in the loss.
With the loss, the Mora Rangers fell to 9-9 on the season, and 2-2 in the district. The Rangers’ next game is at home against the Santa Rosa Lions, who are from 2A District 6. The two teams met in the Dual Cities Tourney on December 30th, with Santa Rosa winning a close one, 55-50.
With the win, the Escalante Lobos improved to 12-7 on the season, and 3-1 in district play. Their next game is on Thursday, February 8th, at home in Tierra Amarilla, against the McCurdy Bobcats. This is a big game for the two teams that have begun to separate themselves from the pack in the race for the district. The two teams met at the NRGT on January 5th, with Escalante winning in a high scoring game, 85-78.
Escalante Lobos at Mora Rangers - Game Highlights
Saturday, February 3rd
Ojo Caliente, New Mexico
District 5 Game
Penasco Panthers - 54
Mesa Vista Trojans - 73
After the win over Questa, Mesa Vista extended their current win streak to twelve games. If there were a “trap game” for the Trojans along the way, it seemed like the Penasco Panthers could be one of those opponents. The two teams played at the Northern Rio Grande Tourney this season, with Mesa Vista winning 75-50.
Report from Coach Tim Pacheco of Penasco was that, “We played well – we were inconsistent on defense, let a few second-chance buckets up and got burned on a couple easy backdoor cuts.” Pacheco added, “Dylan (Lopez) and Angel (Romero) hit some good shots and held it down on defense.”
When asked how they handled, or at least tried to handle, Mesa Vista’s outstanding Sophomore Center Jordan Gallegos, Pacheco said, “Jordan had his way with us – scoring and assists. We tried to play him straight up.” Pacheco said Dylan Lopez played best for Penasco on Gallegos, after their other two inside players, Neamiah Chavez and Matias Vigil, got in foul trouble.
For Mesa Vista, Coach Thomas Vigil said the Trojans’ standout Senior Guard, Marcos Martinez, shot the ball well, scoring 16 points on the night, and that “Everyone played a ton.” For a team with plenty of talent in their regular rotation, experience against a tough team like Penasco will benefit the Trojans bench players going forward.
With the loss, the Penasco Panthers fell to 5-14 on the season,and 0-4 in the district. This still feels like a team that will surprise a favored team before the season’s end. Despite the record, they’re not a team to sleep on. Penasco’s next game is on Thursday, February 8th, at home against the Questa Wildcats.
The Mesa Vista Trojans continue to roll, as their winning streak has reached thirteen games in a row now and have won fifteen of their last sixteen games, with their only loss in that stretch, coming by two points to McCurdy at the NRGT. Their record overall is now 15-4 and 4-0 in the district. What else can you say? These kids are balling right now. The Trojans’ next game comes on Thursday, February 8th, at home versus the Mora Rangers.
Current 2A District 5 Standings
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 state of New Mexico throughout the season, including recaps and game highlights, please visit cwmartinsports.blogspot.com and youtube.com/CWMartinSports.
All footage and photos come courtesy of Hudl.com and nfhsnetwork.com.
Here is New Mexico's own Dynette Marie to play us out this week. Thanks again for reading.
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