Ignacio’s Solymar Cosio almost pushed Centauri into overtime.
Her last-second, short-range jumper was successful, and she ended up totaling a game-high 12 points. However, Cosio and the Bobcats came up just short on Saturday, falling 27-24 at IHS Gymnasium.
Centauri improved to 13-5 overall and 7-3 in the Intermountain League, while Ignacio fell to 7-11 and 3-6 in league play.
Cosio began the second half spinning to the hoop for two points. However, Centauri senior counterpart Lacey Johnson answered with a free throw, and Curtis followed with a pair from the charity stripe, growing the Falcons’ lead to 16-11.
Ignacio cut Centauri’s lead to 18-16 after freshman Maliyah Martinez lobbed the ball to Cosio for a deuce, then followed with a corner trey with 1:51 remaining.
However, Centauri gained momentum entering the fourth and final frame from a surprise source. Following a bucket by sophomore regular post Joselyn McCarroll, sophomore reserve Alyvia Norton netted a midrange jumper, giving the Lady Falcons’ lead through three quarters to 23-16.
Centuari coach Troy Reynolds expressed that the shot was particularly crucial to the Falcons’ win because Ignacio had to rally from seven points down during the closing eight minutes rather than five.
Although the Bobcats kept a five-point game multiple times, Cosio picked up her third personal foul with 32.8 ticks to go, and senior guard Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga received her fourth with 26.6 seconds left.
Tucker then made one of two free throws, re-upping Centauri’s lead to 26-22. Ignacio had a chance to send the game into overtime down 27-24, but Cosio’s shot attempt was off.
Ignacio went 5 of 15 from the foul line.
The Bobcats lost 62-31 against Centauri on Saturday.
Ignacio (7-11, 2-7 in league play) trailed 22-5 entering the second quarter and didn’t recover.
Centauri junior Carson Bagwell Bagwell totaled 15 first-half points and ended up with a game-high 21. The Falcons improved to 13-5 and 8-2 in league action.
Ignacio senior Trajan Garcia drained two 3-pointers in totaling a team-high 10 points. Sophomore Ambrose Valdez made one trey and finished with five points.
The Ignacio boys and girls will wrap up the regular season with a Thursday doubleheader at home versus Montezuma-Cortez.
