Challenges facing Bayfield boys basketball Monday night were few, but when asked a question, they had the answer as the Wolverines dominated Aztec at home, 61-30, on Friday.
Bayfield junior guard Hayes Malone couldn’t be stopped as he finished with a team-high 22 points as the Wolverines led by at least nine points in each quarter and cruised to an easy win not 48 hours after a 66-44 home win over non-league 3A Telluride.
Things couldn’t have started off better for the Wolverines as junior guard Hayes Malone instantly ignited, netted two 3-pointers and posted BHS’ first nine points. AHS head coach Ryan Dee then called a 30-second timeout with 5:07 left in the first quarter and his Tigers trailing 9-3.
BHS boss Damon White Thunder summoned emerging super-sub Drew Jepson and the junior, a former regular in the starting lineup, sank two treys to help the home team increase its advantage to 18-9 by quarter’s end.
Junior forward/center Cameron Queen then started the second quarter with a basket inside, and Jepson followed with his third triple – putting Bayfield up 23-9 with 6:39 left until halftime.
“This was kind of the same thing as Saturday: A redemption game from last Tuesday,” White Thunder said, referring to 3A BHS’ home loss on the Jan. 6 to 4A Shiprock. “That one kind of still stings. So these boys are fired up, ready to go and show what they can do. We’ve proved it the last couple times.”
A mid-range baseline jumper by sophomore reserve Davis Roderick grew BHS’ lead to 38-15 at intermission, and Malone’s fourth trey increased it to 45-15 early in the third quarter.
AHS (1-12 overall) played Bayfield (7-3 overall) to a 7-7 draw in the fourth quarter, but there was just no coming back from the Wolverines’ early attack.
Jepson added nine points for Bayfield.
Held without a field goal after the first quarter, Jacquez was a perfect 7-of-7 from the foul line and totaled 10 points in defeat. All told, the Tigers made 14 of their 22 attempted FTs; the Wolverines ended up 7-of-11, but followed up their devastating 12-trey day against THS with another eight makes from deep against AHS.
Looking ahead, Aztec will next venture to Cuba on the Thursday to begin the three-day 60th Annual Ram Invitational against Dulce, New Mexico, at 1 p.m.
Bayfield, meanwhile, will next begin league work at 7 p.m. Friday at 4A Alamosa (5-4 overall) then return to welcome La Jara-centered 3A Centauri the next afternoon.
“With this Monday night game, getting a big win and … showing what we can do, what a great way to roll into ‘League Week,’” said White Thunder. “Like I told the boys, every game’s going to be tough.”
