The Durango High School boys basketball team hung around Bloomfield on Tuesday in the team’s home opener at DHS. The Bobcats led the entire game, but DHS fought back in the fourth quarter to have a chance to win.
The Demons entered the fourth trailing 35-25, but picked up their defense and allowed only a 3-pointer in the first seven minutes of the quarter.
Cole Ulrich and Marcus Cullum scored on putbacks for DHS to cut into the lead.
Then, with two minutes left, Noah Miles sank back-to-back 3-pointers for Durango to make it a one-basket game, 38-36.
After a Bloomfield free throw, Ulrich scored on another putback under the basket to cut the lead to one with 34 seconds remaining.
Bloomfield went to the free-throw line again with 12 seconds left and banked the first shot in. The second shot, however, missed, keeping the Demons close.
Durango, however, also struggled from the free-throw line on Tuesday. The Demons shot 2-for-10 in the first half from the charity stripe and were 1-for-5 in the second half when DHS got fouled with seven seconds left, giving Durango a chance to tie it from the line. Durango’s first shot in, but the second bounced.
After Bloomfield made one more free throw, DHS heaved a full-court shot at the buzzer, but it bounced off the backboard and Bloomfield escaped with the 41-39 win.
Bloomfield, however, started the game strong and scored seven points before Durango got its first shot off. BHS led 15-6 after one and 24-16 at halftime.
Brady Liembach ended the half by turning a steal into a fast-break bucket for DHS. To end the third quarter, Zach Unrue came up with a big block for DHS. The Demons rotated fresh players steadily in throughout the game, and the extra energy helped in the fourth, but it wasn’t quite enough to get the win.
With the loss, the Demons slipped to 3-9 overall.
The Durango girls basketball also played Bloomfield on Tuesday, but in New Mexico. Their contest was also decided by two points, but DHS finished on top, 43-41. The win was Durango’s ninth in a row, improving the team’s record to 9-1 overall.
