Stifled on the perimeter, Ignacio turned to its potent posts in hopes of hanging with Pagosa Springs – ranked No. 7 in the week-starting CHSAANow.com Class 4A poll – Friday inside IHS Gymnasium.
And though the visiting Pirates proved too much to overcome in a 54-37 loss, the Bobcats’ production in the paint held promise the home team hoped would carry over into a Saturday showdown against neighboring Bayfield.
“We’re dominant in the post, mainly,” said junior center/forward Gabe Cox. “We … ram it inside as much as we can, and that’s where we get our points from.”
Showing an effective midrange jumper along with a usual desire to attack the rim, Cox totaled six points in the third quarter and a team-high 12 overall. Senior forward/center Dylan McCaw, meanwhile, went 4-of-4 from the foul line as part of an eight-point second half and ended up with 10 points. Coming off the bench, sophomore forward Charlie Pargin sank a 3-pointer and totaled five points.
Not a bad performance by the bigs … but not enough to offset the impact of PSHS junior forward Blake Laner.
The Pirates went into halftime leading 27-15, after senior guard Gunner Dozier drained a trey in response to Pargin’s. Laner scored five third-quarter points to help increase Pagosa Springs’ lead to 41-25 entering the fourth, then all but put the ’Cats down for good with six consecutive points in the fourth – interrupted only by a reverse layup from IHS sophomore guard Coty Webb. Bobcat boss Chris Valdez then called a timeout with 5:32 remaining and Ignacio trailing 47-27.
“They love blocking shots, so pump-faking was big for us,” said Laner, who logged a game-high 17 points.
PSHS (14-3 overall, 5-2 3A/4A Intermountain) ended up 7-of-13 from the charity stripe, but tallied five three-pointers to Ignacio’s two. Dozier finished with 11 points, while sophomore Colt Lewis made one three and totaled seven points. Senior guard/forward Kayson Shahan made the Pirates’ other triple and ended with six points.
“With them all being able to shoot – and Kayson being also a big down low – Gunner and Colt really create space, you know, and I’m just lucky enough to be standing down there for the pass,” Laner said. “I’m one who ends up putting it in, but they’re doing most of the work.”
The Pirates were to next travel out to 4A No. 6 Alamosa on Saturday to face the league-leading Mean Moose (15-1, 7-0 IML), while Ignacio was to host Bayfield
“We’re definitely going to be hungrier for a win, coming off another loss,” Cox said. “It’s been a tough season this year, but Bayfield’s our rival and we’re going to give them all we’ve got in our house.”
Senior guard Eppie Quintana registered four points for the ’Cats (3-11, 0-6) in defeat, while junior guard Devante Montoya finished with three, Webb two and junior reserve Trajan Garcia one.
Visiting 3A No. 4 Centauri on Friday, Bayfield dipped to 7-9 overall and 1-6 in league after a 55-38 loss to the Falcons (13-3, 5-2).
Junior Akuel Kot scored 19 points on Friday, but none were more important than his go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left on the clock to lift the 13th-ranked Fort Lewis College men's basketball team past Colorado State University-Pueblo, 68-65, and notch head coach Bob Pietrack’s 150th win with the program.
The Skyhawks improved to 19-2 overall and 13-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with the win while CSU-Pueblo dipped to 10-11, 6-9.
The Durango High School boys basketball team also defended its home court on Friday, taking down the visiting Palisade Bulldogs in nonleague action, 51-39.
The win bumped the Demons’ record to 6-12 overall and dropped Palisade to 8-11. DHS was also scheduled to face Glenwood Springs on Saturday.
