Tuesday night’s game between the Durango and Ignacio boys varsity basketball teams might not be for a league title and it won’t have much of an impact on either team’s success this season, but it’ll be a special night for all involved.
The matchup features some of the best athletes in the area and they’re no strangers to each other. They’ve been playing with and against each other for years and Tuesday’s game is the last clash for a decorated group of seniors on both sides.
“There’s definitely some bragging rights on the line in this one so there might be a little bit of extra incentive,” said Durango senior Lucas Baken, son of Dante and Jessica Baken. “We have a lot of respect for them, but we’ve got something to prove this time around because they outplayed us badly last year.”
In last year’s game, Ignacio’s defense shut down the Demons and point guard Wyatt Hayes led the Bobcats with 14 points in 50-33 win.
The Demons know if they hope to compete this time around, they’ll have to find a way keep Hayes in check.
“We need to find a way to deal with Wyatt and play our brand of basketball,” said Durango head coach Alan Batiste said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “He can hurt us from the 3-point line and he makes everyone better when he has the ball in his hands.”
Hayes averages 16.4 points per game and leads a senior dominated Ignacio (8-0, 3-0 2A/1A San Juan League) group that has three starters averaging in double-figures and hasn’t lost yet this year.
If Hayes isn’t doing damage, it’s likely that one of the other Bobcats’ seniors is picking him up.Senior guard Anthony Manzanares averages 12.4 points and has scored in double figures in four of the last five games. Fellow senior Tucker Ward is averaging 11 points per game and senior center Nick Herrera controls the paint averaging 9.4 points and seven rebounds per game.
“(The kids) grew up playing against each other,” Ignacio head coach Chris Valdez said. “(The kids) like to play each other. It’s a friendly rivalry so of course they want to beat us. But will be a friendly rivalry for sure. We are all friends. I think we’re a couple of the best teams in the four corners. Good for them and great for us. Nobody in our division that matches up against us like this.”
Neither team with have an advantage in experience as Durango is also led by an experienced group of seniors.
It took awhile for football players Baken and Terrence Trujillo to make the full transition to the hardwood, but the Demons (6-3) have played their best basketball of the season in recent weeks.
After the holiday break, Durango has been impressive in decisive wins against Pagosa Springs and Piedra Vista.
Baken’s 23 points and a swarming full-court press led a second half rally that had the Panthers shaking their heads.
In the previous game, Durango’s defense paced a 20-2 second quarter that led to an easy victory against the Pirates.
“If we can play with them then that would be a feather on our cap because they have a good team right now, they’re as good as they’ve always been,” said Valdez. “We can matchup but we’re hoping to hold up with them. (Durango) has the best shooting guards they’ve had in years. They’re on fire. The guard sets are pretty straight up, whoever has the better game.”
The Demons’ leading scorer is senior forward Orion Clay who averages 14.6 points per game. He had 17 in the win against Piedra Vista punctuated by a two-handed dunk that changed the momentum of the game.The experienced Durango squad also features senior big men Scott Morse and Seth Gilleland who have done a good job altering shots and scoring in the paint. The lone junior starter, Kyle Kirkpatrick, has a smooth stroke and can put points up in a hurry with sharp outside shooting ability.
“We need to make some shots and play our game,” Batiste said. “We can’t worry about the little things or who we’re playing against, we just have to do what we do and play basketball.”
jfries@durangoherald.com
If you go...
WHO: Ignacio at Durango
WHAT: Boys high school basketball
WHERE: Whalen Gymnasium at Fort Lewis College
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
TWITTER: @The7thFreezer
