A slow start and a slower finish was the way the Ignacio Bobcats ended the season.
Ignacio High School took on Paonia in the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A Boys Basketball Tournament’s fifth-place game Saturday morning inside Massari Arena on the campus of Colorado State University-Pueblo.
The Bobcats missed seven early layups and trailed by as many as 12 points before cutting the deficit to three in the second half. But the Bobcats couldn’t pull off a comeback, falling 46-41 to finish the three-day state tournament with a 1-2 record for sixth place.
The Bobcats struggled after a 61-60 overtime loss to Holyoke in the quarterfinals. Ignacio’s lone win in Pueblo came Friday against Ellicott. The Bobcats also started slow in that game but overcame it for a 73-55 win.
It was revealed Saturday that several of the team’s key players competed despite illness.
“Wyatt Hayes had a double ear infection and played the entire tournament sick,” IHS head coach Chris Valdez said of his team’s star senior guard. “Tucker Ward was the same way. He was down-and-out (Friday) and went to bed early. The kids came down with sickness but played their tails off.”
Hayes finished his high school career with only two points Saturday. Both points came from the free-throw line. He did accumulate seven assists, seven rebounds and five steals.
Nicholas Herrera did his best in the paint against a 6-foot-7 opponent and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double in his final game.
“Nick did a great job on their big guy,” Valdez said. “He busted his tail the whole game, and I was excited about the way he played.”
Ignacio’s senior class finished their careers with an overall record of 89-14, two third-place state finishes and this year’s sixth-place finish. Valdez said their contributions to the program won’t be forgotten.
“They’re one of the best classes we’ve had, and their record shows it,” Valdez said. “They always kept great attitudes, and they come from great families. We are going to miss them a lot, and I’m proud of the way we went out with our heads held high.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
