Durango High School’s boys basketball team picked up its first win of the season Thursday with a 46-43 win against San Juan High School from Blanding, Utah, in the first round of the Marv Sanders Invitational in Farmington.
The Demons held a small lead most of the game, but late in the fourth quarter they almost gave the game away with multiple turnovers.
“We pretty much had a lead of three to five points the whole game, and we spread it open in the fourth to get up eight,” DHS head coach Alan Batiste said. “But in the last two minute,s we had turnover, turnover, turnover and they got up by one with about a minute and a half to go.”
The Demons (1-2) took back the lead right away with a quick layup, then pushed the advantage to three points after a couple of free throws.
San Juan (0-2) had a chance to tie the game, but the Broncos’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer missed.
Al Hurworth established a presence inside and led the Demons with 16 points. Seth Johnson added 12 and Will Meyer finished with nine.
Before the game, a moment of silence was observed in honor of the shooting that occurred Thursday morning at Aztec High School. Batiste said it was a sobering moment that seemed to shake the teams, which led to a slow start for both sides on offense.
“I think everybody was in basketball mod,e and they did a moment of silence before the game and I think that’s when it hit everybody,” he said. “It seemed like it took everybody a minute to get going. I know I was in basketball mode and kind of forgot about it for a second. It seemed like everyone came together in the gym.”
The Demons will play the winner of Farmington and Newcomb, New Mexico, in the semifinals Friday. If Farmington wins, the game will be played at 7 p.m. If Newcomb wins, the game will be played at 3 p.m.
kschneider@durangohearld.com
