Dominance for three quarters delivered another key win for the Demons.
The Durango High School boys basketball team (8-6, 3-0 Class 4A/5A Southwestern League) earned its fourth win in a row and third consecutive to open the league season with a 62-41 win against league rival Montezuma-Cortez.
“It’s another big confidence booster. We’re playing overall good team basketball right now,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “I know we won by 20, but we’re still getting better as a team.”
Junior guard Lucas Baken got the Demons rolling by making 4-of-5 attempts from behind the 3-point line to open the game, and sophomore guard Josh Hobson helped seal the victory by scoring nine of his 12 points in the third quarter, when he went 2-for-2 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
Hobson’s strong third quarter helped the Demons overcome a dismal second quarter in which they scored eight points and settled for too many long jump shots and 3-pointers.
“Just talking about the shooting 3s too much in the locker room during the break, I was looking to go in to the basket inside,” said Hobson, son of Alex and Yuko Hobson, when asked about his mentality in the third quarter.
Batiste called Hobson a player who brings energy to the team, and his ability to drive to the basket helped bring the energy back to the crowd and team.
“He’s the penetrator we talk about. He’s excellent getting to the basket,” Batiste said of the sophomore. “He had a big game for us.”
Baken finished with 12 points, and senior forward DJ Bay added 11 points for the Demons, who shot 14-of-24 from the free-throw line.
“We took too many 3s and were shooting ourselves out of the game. Once we settled in and played our game, we did great,” said Bay, son of Dale and Nancy Bay. “We are playing well as a team right now with three big wins in a row by double digits.”
The Panthers (5-8, 0-3 SWL) were led by Walter Parker’s game-high 15 points. Seth Long added nine points for Montezuma-Cortez. Starters Randy Haley and John Walck fouled out of the game, as the Panthers battled foul trouble the entire second half.
After playing their first 10 games on the road, the Demons were happy to play three in a row at home and win all three. Now, DHS will go back on the road to face rival Montrose at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
“Cortez has always been Durango’s rival, but Montrose is our true rival. Since I’ve been here, that’s the case,” Batiste said of the Indians. “We see them as a rival, and they’ll be ready to play us. Friday night, it’s a big game.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
