The Durango High School boys basketball team trailed Fruita Monument by 12 points in the third quarter of their Southwestern League clash on Saturday, but rallied and won the game, 49-47.
With 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the score even at 47-47, Durango committed it seventh team foul. Fruita missed the front end of the one-and-one and Lincoln Clay snagged the rebound. Anthony Flint brought the ball up court, created an open look about three feet behind the free-throw line and swished the game-winning bucket as the final buzzer sounded.
The bucket capped Durango’s rally, which began with a 13-0 run to start the fourth. Flint made two shots to start the quarter, including one beyond the arc. Landon Roberts scored with a reverse layup and a put back. Flint came up with a steal and took it coast to coast for a layup, then made a pair of free throws to put DHS up, 45-40.
The Wildcats responded with two buckets and a 3-pointer to take the lead back, 47-45, with about three minutes remaining.
Clay got fouled at the 2:04 mark and sunk two huge free throws for Durango to tie the game at 47-all.
Both teams forced some turnovers after that, but Flint came up big when his team needed it at the end.
Roberts’ put back with 5:40 left in the fourth gave Durango its first lead of the game, 41-40.
Fruita scored the first seven points of the game and led 13-9 after the first.
Neither team scored much in the second and DHS went into halftime trailing the Wildcats 24-16.
After Fruita scored the first two baskets of the third quarter, DHS coach Alan Batiste subbed in five players from the bench. The bench players picked up the intensity, with Zach Haber and AJ Folk scoring. When the starters returned, they picked up where their teammates left off. Walter Stauffer scored down low, Flint hit a trey and Dylan Bettin scored three the old-fashioned way. Fruita sunk a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to take a 40-32 lead into the fourth, but then the Demons came back.
With the win, DHS improves to 9-11 overall and 2-4 in the 4A/5A Southwestern League. Fruita slipped to 10-11, 2-4.
The teams split their regular season series with Fruita winning the first game 46-44.
The Demons will now wrap up their regular season with three games next week. Durango will host Montezuma-Cortez on Tuesday, play at Alamosa Thursday and then host Montrose on Saturday.
The Durango girls basketball started strong against the Wildcats on Saturday, getting baskets from four different players in the first quarter to take an 11-8 lead into the second. Fruita, however, started the second quarter with three 3-pointers and used an 13-0 run to take a 21-11 lead and went into halftime up 23-13.
Durango had a better offensive quarter in the third, scoring 11 in the frame, but Fruita scored 17 to continue pulling away and eventually won the game, 47-28.
DHS is now 13-7 overall and 3-4 in the SWL. Fruita improved to 18-3, 6-0.
Durango will play at Alamosa on Thursday and then host Montrose on Saturday to conclude its regular season.
