Three weeks after their last game, the Durango Demons were back on the basketball court.
The Durango High School boys basketball team traveled for the eighth time in eight games to start the 2016-17 season. After entering 2017 with a 6-1 record, the Demons improved Tuesday with a 45-32 win at Pagosa Springs (3-4) to advance to 7-1 before the team’s home opener this Friday.
“We had our backs against the wall a bit with guys out after missing practice,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “But the boys met the challenge. We built a 15-point lead in the first half, took the crowd out early and met the challenge.”
DHS led by as much as 42-22 late in the game.
Well-balanced scoring was a key for the Demons, who were led by Kyle Kirkpatrick’s nine points. Zach Geauthreaux and Kobe Szura each had eight points, Tyler Ruetschle had seven and Cullen Robinette added six points.
“We wanted to execute, and we did that,” Batiste said. “We know we play these guys again, but we wanted to go through all of our play calling after being off a few weeks.”
DHS will host a four-team tournament this weekend beginning with a game against Montezuma-Cortez at 7 p.m. Friday and Bayfield at 7 p.m. Saturday. Ignacio will also participate.
A wild game at the home gym of the Wolverines didn’t go the way of the host Tuesday.
Bayfield High School and Kirtland Central played into overtime, but it was the Broncos (5-6) from New Mexico who stole a 64-60 win in Bayfield.
The game was tied at 55-all going into overtime. Kirtland’s Jariah Setzer hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with less than 50 seconds to play, and neither team could break the deadlock before overtime. With 9 seconds remaining in regulation, Bayfield’s Dax Snooks stole the ball and gave BHS a chance with 1.9 seconds remaining, but the Wolverines never got a chance at a shot.
Missed opportunities cost the Wolverines all night, especially when it came to close-range shots.
BHS (3-4) led 45-43 after three quarters after Ryan Phelps hit a late 3 to tie the game and Carl Heide hit a go-ahead basket at the buzzer.
Phelps led BHS with 14 points, and Keyon Prior had 13. Turner Kennedy scored 12 points with seven coming in the third quarter. Hayden Farmer also reached double digits with 11 points.
Bryson Dowdy, son of Kirtland head coach Brian Dowdy, led all scorers with 23 points despite being held scoreless in the first quarter.
BHS will try to end a two-game losing streak at 5 p.m. Friday against rival Ignacio.
Girls Basketball
Girls BasketballIt was a tough night back on the court for the Demons against one of the state’s top teams.
The Durango High School girls basketball team came up on the wrong end of a 36-23 game Tuesday at Pagosa Springs. The Pirates (5-1) entered the game ranked fourth in Class 3A, while Durango (6-4) is no longer receiving votes in the Class 4A poll.
Durango will open the Lady Tiger Rumble Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday against Navajo Prep in Aztec.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
