A bit more aggressiveness on offense and an extra spark on defense helped Durango High School boys basketball capture win No. 1 this season.
DHS bounced back against Snowflake (Ariz.), allowing just 39 points after Kirtland Central scored 65 in the Demons’ season opener, and Durango topped Snowflake 51-39 to open the Pepsi Holiday Invitational Tournament on Thursday in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Lucas Baken led the Demons (1-1) with 13 points, and Trent Andrews scored 11. Nate Atencio had 10 for DHS, and head coach Alan Batiste was pleased with Atencio’s overall game.
“Just managing the ball, protecting the basketball and taking care of it, but also putting us in spots where we needed to be,” Batiste said.
Batiste credited a stronger defensive effort after a disappointing result in their home opener Dec. 3.
“Just more spark, more bouncing around, more hands high. Doing the little things we didn’t do last Tuesday,” the fourth-year head coach said.
Offensively, it seemed patience coupled with a willingness to get to the rim helped DHS earn its second consecutive effort of 50 or more points.
“The biggest thing is that we were aggressive getting to the basket (Thursday), not just throwing the ball around the horn, around the wing,” Batiste said.
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