A chance at a regular-season Southwestern League championship still exists for the Durango High School boys basketball team.
The Demons trail league-leading Grand Junction by one game with two games to play this weekend and would clinch a share of the league championship with two wins over the weekend.
DHS (11-5, 7-1 SWL) will host Montrose at 7 p.m. Friday and Grand Junction at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at DHS.
The Demons found themselves in a similar position last season before defeating Montrose and losing to Grand Junction by one point.
“The kids know what’s at stake,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “They know we write our own story after this week (of practice).”
DHS has been on a roll of late, winning five consecutive games and seven of its last eight. Only two opponents during that stretch scored more than 50 points.
“It’s just the bounce in the kids. You can see their feet are moving; they’re not stuck in cement,” Batiste said. “Offensively, you see the aggressiveness we’re showing getting to the bucket and opening up shots for other people.”
The Demons won their previous meeting with Montrose (7-10, 2-6 SWL) this year 51-48 after overcoming a 10-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Kyle Freeburg leads the Indians in scoring at 15.1 points per game, while Ross Barney scores 11.1 per contest.
“They’re a hustle team,” said Isiah Mayberry, son of George and Tonya Mayberry. “They play good defense, and if we let them stay in the game, they’re definitely capable of beating us.”
Grand Junction (16-2, 6-0 SWL) proved that already, taking down DHS 46-27 on Jan. 24.
The Tigers have won their last nine games and haven’t lost to DHS since 2007, a span of seven games.
“We’re looking to get that monkey off our back,” Batiste said.
Broderick Robinson leads Grand Junction and ranks sixth in Class 5A in scoring at 20.4 points per game. He’s scored in double digits every game this season, but he put up his lowest output of the season – 10 points – against DHS.
The Demons also will have to contend with 6-7 center DJ Wells, who averages 9.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game with five double-doubles.
“They have a big post presence, and their point guard, he’s pretty incredible,” Mayberry said. “If we key up those two players, we should be good.”
This weekend is the Demons’ final homestand of the season, and they will celebrate senior night Friday against Montrose.
“We’ve been gone on the road for three weeks now, and it’s good that the players’ families can come see them play, the community can watch us play,” Batiste said. “It’s in our favor that we get to finish three games at home to finish conference to put us in position to share a title. It’s a plus.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
