Durango got the open look it needed to tie the game late, but the shot wouldn’t fall as the Demons’ undefeated record did.
In a tightly-contested game throughout, Piedra Vista held on to defeat Durango 41-36 in the semifinals of the Marv Sanders Boys Basketball Invitational at Farmington High School.
The Demons (4-1) trailed 38-33 with 42 seconds to go, but back-to-back Piedra Vista turnovers gave DHS a chance. Javier Quezada buried a 3-point shot from the corner to get DHS within two points, but the Panthers (3-2) stretched it back to a three-point lead with a made free throw.
DHS was unable to hit a game-tying 3 with 2 seconds to go.
“PV did what they needed to do,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “We knew we had to execute something, and we had a good look at it.”
Batiste said his team struggled in its half-court offense for a second consecutive game, particularly in the third quarter when the Panthers were able to build a lead behind the hot shooting of Jarrett Graham, who finished with 13 points.
A Graham third quarter 3-pointer gave PV its first lead since 2-0. The Panthers took a 31-26 lead into the fourth quarter.
“We have to execute better,” Batiste said. “We kind of hit a wall that third quarter. We didn’t shoot the ball very well this game. (Graham) kind of hit a big 3 with under 2 minutes in the fourth, and that sealed the deal really.”
Kyle Kirkpatrick led the Demons with 12 points.
DHS will face Kirtland Central in the third-place game of the tournament at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
“There’s nothing we can fix in a day,” Batiste said. “We have to come compete, bounce back and come out with a win.”
PV, which is coached by former Fort Lewis College standout guard Devon Manning of Kirtland, will face crosstown rival Farmington in the championship game.
The first win of the season couldn’t have been any bigger for the Wolverines.
At 0-2 and trailing 10-2 early in the first quarter, the Bayfield boys basketball team kept its composure and stormed back to tie the game at 10 before the start of the second quarter.
Bayfield and Jefferson Academy played each other to a draw in three of the four quarters. The second quarter was the difference, when the Wolverines outscored the Jaguars 15-12.
Tough defense down the stretch helped the Wolverines hold off the private school from Broomfield for a 50-47 win to open the Buena Vista Tournament.
“I’m so pleased with the progress we made in one week’s time playing an equal caliber team as those last weekend,” BHS head coach Jeff Lehnus said, referencing his team’s losses to Kent Denver and The Pinnacle last week. “We didn’t panic when they went up 10-2. We stayed in it and we held them off when we had to.”
BHS (1-2) used a 10-0 run in the second quarter to build a 21-10 lead. It was highlighted by a 3-pointer and emphatic dunk by junior Ryan Phelps, who scored a game-high 21 points.
Jefferson Academy (2-2) responded with a 10-0 run of its own, but the Bayfield bench stepped up to quiet that run and preserve a halftime lead.
“I was so impressed with the bench,” Lehnus said. “That makes it fun and exciting for all the guys.”
BHS met its goal of holding its opponent to under 50 points.
Brian Mashak, a senior, and sophomore Keyon Prior each had eight points in the win.
Jefferson Academy was paced by 17 points from Trever Ballard.
Lehnus said improved rebounding was the biggest difference in his team’s play from week to week.
Jefferson Academy had the ball for the final 40 seconds of regulation but only got one shot at a 3 to tie the game. The shot didn’t find the basket, giving BHS the win.
Now, the Wolverines will look to get back to .500 with a game against Gunnison at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“We scheduled these games because we have expectations of ourselves to be one of the top teams in the state,” Lehnus said of the team’s brutal three-game schedule against private schools to open the season. “We have aspirations to play to that level of competition. When you’re young, you worry about how they will handle it if you don’t have success immediately. But I’ve been impressed by their drive, desire and determination to be successful this year.”
Girls Basketball
Girls BasketballEvery player saw time for the Durango Demons in a lopsided win Friday.
The DHS girls responded from the team’s first loss of the season with a 42-24 beating of Harrison in pool play of the Pueblo County Lady Hornet Holiday Tournament.
“There wasn’t anything particularly great about this victory, just a win,” DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick said.
No statistics were made available for the game.
DHS (4-1) will face Air Academy at 10:30 a.m. Saturday before finding out its opponent for an afternoon game.
Bayfield have Jefferson Academy all it could handle for one half before Ellie Hausmann took over.
Hausmann scored 13 points in the third quarter and another six in the fourth for a game-high 19 points in the Jaguars’ win against the Wolverines (1-2).
Courtney Bayles and Taylor Morris each finished with eight points to lead the BHS girls.
Next up for Bayfield is Colorado Academy on Saturday morning at the Buena Vista Tournament.
With only seven players on the floor, the Ignacio Bobcats gave it all they had in a big win to open the Montezuma-Cortez Tournament.
Avionne Gomez scored 15 points, and the rebounding of freshman Makayla Howell gave IHS (2-0) the spark it needed to come up with a 39-29 win.
“We’ve only got seven girls on varsity right now with injuries and grade issues,” IHS head coach Shane Seibel said. “They’re working as hard as they can and not holding back, and we are substituting when we can. The girls are working hard in practice and getting in better and better shape.”
Tori Archuleta added eight points, while Howell finished with six points and 10 rebounds.
IHS will play in the championship game of the tournament at noon Saturday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
