Put another notch on the measuring stick, the Ignacio High School boys basketball team took down Telluride for its ninth consecutive Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A District 3 title Saturday.

The No. 1 Bobcats had the game in hand and beat the No. 2 Telluride Miners, 60-27.

Ignacio (20-2) took a little time to warm up during the first quarter but quickly turned on the jets and spurned past Telluride (9-13) for the win.

“We get everyone’s best game; everyone prepares for us,” Ignacio head coach Chris Valdez said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “They’re going to give their best, and we have to hang in there and keep the lead.”

At halftime, Ignacio led by 11 points. But the Bobcats stepped on the gas in the second half and left Telluride behind.

Tucker Ward led Ignacio with 16 points, six rebounds and five steals, as Wyatt Hayes had another all-around game. The senior guard finished with 12 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists. Austin McCaw also had a nice game with seven points and five rebounds, and Anthony Manzanares had five points. Nicholas Herrera added six rebounds.

Where Ignacio really succeeded was on the defensive side. The Bobcats’ defense held the Miners to only four points in the third quarter.

“We usually want to keep everyone under 10 points per quarter,” Valdez said. “I thought our defense did really well.”

Ignacio also was strong at the free-throw line, going 12-for-15 from the charity stripe.

As head coach of Ignacio, Valdez has coached the team to nine district titles in 10 years.

“Everyone here is hoping that we don’t play well,” Valdez said. “We show up to districts to win, that’s what we’ve created. We don’t show up to play, we show up to win.”

The CHSAA Class 2A regional tournament seeds will be released Sunday. Valdez and the Bobcats will be tuned in eager to see who they will face and where.

jmentzer@durangoherald.com