Broncos’ big helps send Demons to an opening-day loss
Durango High School had trouble getting the ball to center Trent Andrews against Kirtland Central on Tuesday at DHS in the Demons’ home opener. He scored six points on two field goals and two free throws to go along with four rebounds. DHS lost its home and season opener 64-50.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
DHS freshman Josh Hobson got into foul trouble in his first varsity game Tuesday against Kirtland Central. He started the season opener but picked up four fouls by halftime and didn’t start the third quarter.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Caleb Kennedy and the DHS boys basketball team couldn’t crack Kirtland Central’s zone. The Broncos went on a 9-0 run after the teams were tied at 38 largely because of the Demons’ willingness to take the first open shot. “We could never get back in the groove,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Nate Atencio scored 12 points against Kirtland Central on Tuesday, but offense wasn’t an issue for DHS. It was the Demons’ defense that did them in. “You can’t give up 65 points and expect to win,” Batiste said.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Dane Mestas led the Demons with 17 points against Kirtland Central, but it was for naught in a 65-54 loss. He also had two steals and three rebounds in the home- and season-opening defeat.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Kirtland Central’s defense did enough against Dane Mestas and the Demons on Tuesday at DHS. The Broncos’ zone pushed them to a 9-0 run when the game was tied at 38, and Kirtland Central held on after that.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Dane Mestas and the Demons’ offense clicked to the tune of 54 points against Kirtland Central. Unfortunately, Durango’s defense wasn’t as dialed in during a 65-54 defeat in both teams’ season opener. “With our mindset, if we play defense, it’s a whole different ballgame,” Mestas said.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Defense has been the Durango high school boys basketball team’s calling card in recent seasons.
That focus wasn’t as sharp for the Demons on Tuesday in their 65-54 season-opening loss to Kirtland Central at DHS.
The Broncos made 20-of-39 field goals and drew 18 fouls.
“It’s just a want thing,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “You gotta have the will to play defense. We got it. It’s the first game, hopefully we learn from this.”
The Demons’ offense started sluggishly in the first quarter because it was the first game of the season but picked up as they settled in.
DHS made 20-of-59 shots from the field, and Dane Mestas led the Demons with 17 points.
Nate Atencio scored 12.
The Demons tied the game at 38 with 4 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter on a Gabe Gilliland layup after a steal by Caleb Kennedy.
The Broncos rattled off a 9-0 run out of a time out and kept DHS at arms’ length for the remainder of the game.
“We took three quick shots, and they went down (and scored) – we could never get back in the groove,” Batiste said.
Kirtland Central dropped into a zone defense, and the Demons either took the first open shot or couldn’t penetrate into the zone.
“That was our better defense (Tuesday night),” Kirtland Central head coach John Zecca said. “Plus our big guy was getting in a little bit of foul trouble, and sometimes switching to a zone can help with that.”
The Broncos leaned on their big man, Christian Mackey, on offense. He led Kirtland Central with 19 points and eight rebounds.
When DHS started to close down on Mackey, he made enough passes out of the post to hurt the Demons.
“With our mindset, if we play defense, it’s a whole different ballgame,” said Mestas, son of Josette Chacon and Dane Mestas.
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