The Ignacio High School girls basketball team is ready for its Tuesday night matchup against Durango High School on the big stage at Fort Lewis College. The 2A Bobcats are confident that they can compete with the 4A Demons, and, with Avionne Gomez leading the charge on the court, they should be.
“The past few years we’ve lost pretty bad,” said Gomez, daughter of Kenneth and Geneva Gomez. “But I feel like this year we might have a good shot at winning or at least putting up good fight.”
Gomez has been filling up the stat sheet with regularity this season. She has scored in double figures in all but two of the team’s games, and the high totals have led IHS (9-4, 6-1 2A District 3) near the top of the league standings, just a half-game out of first place after losing the last game to Norwood.
The junior guard leads the Bobcats with an average of 16 points per game and has gotten stronger as the season has progressed. She is averaging 20 over the last three games and outscored the entire Mancos team with a 30-point effort last Tuesday in a 61-26 Bobcats win.
Gomez has her sights on getting a college degree and pursuing a career in archaeology. She’s off to a good start after digging the Bobcats out of a hole in Dolores last week.
Trailing 24-13 at halftime, Ignacio head coach Shane Seibel benched his starters to start the second half, and, when Gomez got back in the game, she took matters into her own hands.
“It was frustrating that we were losing and everything just seemed to be going against us,” she said. “We’ve never had that happen at Dolores, but when coach sat us all down, I looked at everyone and it was just time to get it together.”
Gomez came back in the game with the Bobcats down 15 points, and scored eight in a row to spark an 11-0 run. The game went into overtime and Gomez delivered the dagger with a late 3-pointer that put the game away. She finished with a game-high 22 points in the 46-42 win.
That’s in the past, though, and Gomez and company have their work cut out for them against Durango. No matter what happens Tuesday at Whalen Gymnasium, the Bobcats will go on to challenge all opposition down the stretch in the Colorado High School Activities Association’s 2A class.
“I want us to make it through regionals and go to state this year,” Gomez said. “If we keep our focus and play hard every game, I think we can do that.”
Ignacio and Durango play at 5:30 p.m. today at Fort Lewis College’s Whalen Gymnasium. The boys teams will play shortly after.
jfries@durangoherald.com
Behind the scenes
What is your nickname?: Avi
What is your dream job?: I’d like to be an archaeologist.
Who is your favorite athlete?: Michael Jordan
What is your favorite local restaurant?: El Amigo
What kind of music do you listen to?: My parents listen to a lot of classic rock, so, maybe Kiss.
What is your dream vacation spot: I love Florida, but I want to go to Venice, Italy.
If you could have any car what would it be?: A Jeep or a Scout. Something that could drive through anything.
What do you like to do when you aren’t playing basketball?: I like to hunt deer and elk.
Who has been an inspirational person in your life?: My brother Xavier. He’s taught me almost everything I know, especially when it comes to basketball.
What is your favorite sports movie?: Coach Carter
