IGNACIO

Tyson Ross had to go left to get it right.

Ross, the powerful 6-1 Pagosa Springs senior, made two slashing drives to his left, spinning in high-speed off-hand layups in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to ease the Pirates past the Ignacio High School boys basketball team 63-54.

Three times earlier in the game matching state-ranked teams, the hard-charging Ross drove to his right only to pick up three offensive charging fouls.

“We spread the floor and opened me up (in the fourth quarter),” said Ross, who twice drove all the way to the basket with his left hand.

“Then, I got a good pick from my brother (Clay Ross), and he read the roll,” said Tyson Ross, who slipped the ball to his brother for a layup as Pagosa Springs turned back a frenetic Bobcats’ rally before a packed house.

“It goes to my teammates ... they are the ones who kept us in it while I was frustrated or out of the game,” said Ross, who finished with a team-high 13 points along with eight rebounds for the Pirates (14-2 and ranked No. 7 in Class 3A).

“Hats off to them,” said the Pagosa Springs senior and four-year starter in basketball and football.

“This ... is my last game here (in Ignacio). We really wanted to get a win,” said Ross, who is considering college football offers from Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schools Fort Lewis, Adams State, Western State and Colorado Mesa as a safety/punter.

But the homestanding Class 2A Bobcats nearly stole a victory from Ross and the 3A Pirates after starting off with a nervous 13-point deficit in the first half.

“We got down by ... 13 or 14 early, and that really hurt us,” Ignacio head coach Chris Valdez said.

“But I thought we came back really strong,” he said.

The Bobcats used a bundle of energy to pull to within 31-28 at halftime with a big 21-point second quarter.

A four-point play by Clayton Jefferson and then a three-point play on Jefferson’s driving layup rallied the Bobcats, who had been stymied earlier by Pagosa’s aggressive double teams against leading scorer Shane Richmond on the inside.

Defended alternately (or together) by Clay Ross, Zach Griego, Tyson Ross, Eli Stephens and Tyson Ross, Richmond rallied from his slow start to finish with a game-high 18 points for Ignacio (12-4).

With the Pagosa defense collapsing on Richmond, teamates Xavier Watts and Jefferson each hit three 3-pointers for the Bobcats, ranked No. 4 in Class 2A.

Jefferson finished with a season-high 15 points, including a pair of runners in the lane.

Kelton Richmond also hit a 3-pointer for the Bobcats.

Clay Ross scored 12 points, and Kain Lucero added 10 to go with Tyson Ross’ 13 for the Pirates, who were 14 of 16 from the free-throw line.

“Overall, down the stretch, we’ve got to play smarter,” Valdez said of the Bobcats, who return to San Juan Basin League play Friday night at home against Mancos.

“But it was a good learning experience ... a four-point game with 30 seconds to go,” he said.

“We’re disappointed with the loss. But that’s a good team from Pagosa,” Valdez said after the Ignacio boys lost on their home court for the first time in four seasons.

Ignacio will host Mancos on Friday and Telluride on Saturday afternooon.

dstrode@durangoherald.com