Blackjack.
The Ignacio High School boys basketball team won its 21st consecutive game 66-36 over Telluride on Saturday in Cortez to take the San Juan Basin League District Tournament championship.
It’s the seventh consecutive year the Bobcats have won the tournament under head coach Chris Valdez, who’s coaching his 14th year at IHS.
Telluride (16-5) kept the game close initially, only trailing 14-10 after the first quarter and 34-21 at halftime.
IHS (21-0) outscored them 32-15 after halftime.
“We didn’t play 100 percent well,” Valdez said. “We got our offense going pretty well, and our defensive intensity kept going.”
Telluride’s Brooks Rodgers led all scorers with 16 points. That was no match for the Bobcats’ four in double figures, however.
Adison Jones led the team with 14 points, while Wyatt Hayes, Clayton Jefferson and Kelton Richmond all added 10.
Class 2A No. 1 IHS, according to CHSAANow.com, will advance to regionals as the district tournament champions and will host the regional tournament Friday and Saturday at Whalen Gymnasium on the Fort Lewis College campus.
The Bobcats’ opponents and the regional site will be announced at 2 p.m. Sunday.
IHS has lost in the regional championship game the last two seasons.
“I think they’re ready,” Valdez said of his team heading into regionals. “I think they’re hungry. We’ve got to tweak some things in practice and make sure everybody’s on the same page.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
